Family Life' Series
by ProDLnEC aka NLcsimiamifanatic
Summary: A series of mini-stories into the daily lfe of Horatio and Aimee Caine & their ever-growing family. Rated T just to be safe, rating may change per chapter! ON HAITUS! WRITER'S BLOCK ON THIS STORY!
1. Hi Baby!

_**Hi baby**__**!**_

Eighteen-month-old Rachel Caine jumped up and down in her crib. It was Saturday morning. She knew her daddy was home because she had heard him get up and start breakfast for her mommy. She only had to call out "da-da" once and Horatio came into the room smiling.

"Good morning, my precious," he said picking Rachel up, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Did you have a good sleep?"

Whether or not she understood what he said, Rachel nodded. She just loved Daddy's voice.

"We're going somewhere very special today, you know that?" Horatio said to Rachel while he changed her diaper. "You're going to get see your baby sister today."

Rachel grinned. She no had idea what this baby sister thing was about but her mom and dad were happy about it so it must have been a good thing.

Horatio and Aimee had found out their second child was a girl a month before. Horatio's enthusiastic reaction to that news was a surprise to few who thought that now that he and Aimee 'had their girl' Horatio might 'want his boy with his one.'

No way.

If he and Aimee ended up having four girls Horatio would be happy.

Rachel's reaction to seeing the baby in her mother's belly on the ultrasound was priceless. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth formed a big 'O.'

"Baby!" She exclaimed, pointing at the screen. She was on Horatio's lap and she nearly climbed out of his arms trying to get to the screen.

"Yes, that's your baby sister," the technician said.

"Siser?" Rachel said.

Both her parents smiled.

Detective Mac Taylor from the N.Y.P.D. Crime Lab was in Miami for several days. He knocked on Horatio's office door just to say hello later that week.

"Mac, hey," Horatio said, closing the file he was reading and rising from his desk. "Long time."

"Yeah for sure. Heard you and Aimee are having a honeymoon baby," Mac replied.

Horatio chuckled.

"Yep. Another three months we'll have another lil' girl. Rachel's pretty excited."

"She's certainly after growing since the last picture I saw of her. She's almost two now, isn't she?"

Horatio invited Mac to come for dinner at his house the following night. Aimee had met the detective a few times and thought he was very nice. She couldn't help but feel bad for the guy. He always seemed so lonely. But as she could with everybody who met her Rachel made Mac laugh quite a bit.

"Siser," she told Mac putting her small hand on Aimee's round belly.

"I know. Daddy told me. You must be very excited about being a big sister."

Rachel grinned.


	2. The Bad Day That Ended Good

_**Horatio and the Bad Day—that ended Good**_

Horatio sat on the bench of the locker room. It had been an eventful shift to say the least. He knew Aimee would find out the events of the day's shift even if he decided not to tell her himself. Either way he knew she'd be shaken—she probably already knew about it, the news crews had shown up after the explosion at the meth lab at the abandoned warehouse. The place had been rigged to explode within two minutes of the warehouse door being opened. The explosion was meant to kill all officers and destroy all evidence inside. Upon entering the building Horatio felt liquid dripping down on him. He saw the face of digital wristwatch counting down. He sniffed the clear the liquid when it dripped on his hand—gas. He looked up to four propane canisters suspended from the ceiling.

He shouted for everyone to get out of the building _now_. The structure had exploded within seconds of officers retreating. Nobody had been killed or seriously wounded though some of the officers—Horatio included, had been hit and cut with flying debris. Horatio had a two-inch cut near the top of his left cheek that required stitches.

Whether or not Aimee knew about the explosion in the moments after Horatio did not know but he didn't want her scared not knowing his condition if she happened to see it on _Breaking News_ on television. Aimee hadn't heard or seen the news; she had no idea any explosion occurred. She was sitting on the floor reading to Rachel when he called. He couldn't tell her any details; all he could tell her was there had been an explosion but with the exception of the cut that required stitches, he was fine.

"They're sending all of us home a bit early," he said, in reference to the team who attended the warehouse call. "Looks like I'll be home in time for dinner tonight."

"Your daughter will be glad to hear that. Hear that, Rachel? Daddy will be home to have dinner with us."

"Dada!" Rachel said. Rachel always seemed to notice if Horatio didn't get home early enough for dinner. Even if she were just eighteen months old. She really tended to notice when he wasn't home by her bedtime. She liked for Horatio to tuck her into bed too. Horatio would go to his sleeping daughter's nursery and give her a kiss when he got home but Rachel didn't knew that and it wasn't the same.

Aimee was happy that her husband called to tell her he was okay after the explosion she hadn't known about. She knew if she had to hear about it without him calling and assuring her he was all right except for a few stitches, her heart would have in her throat till he walked through the front door—which in a case like this most times meant later than usual. Aimee guessed that this team of officers were sent home to rest and told to see their personal physicians ASAP as a precaution. Aimee made a mental note to call their family doctor first thing the following morning—whether or not Horatio thought he needed to or not.

"Hey," Aimee whispered, kissing Horatio passionately in the doorway of the living room. She gingerly touched the small bandage that covered the wound on his face.

"Hey," Horatio replied softly, taking Aimee's face into his palms. "Shh. I'm okay." He took the hand that had touched his wound and kissed her fingertips.

Aimee put her head on her husband's chest and held him tighter. Horatio hugged her back then let his hand drift down and stroke her pregnant belly. He knew that even though he came home uninjured it still had to frighten his pregnant wife.

Rachel 'captured' her dad after dinner—he was 'all hers' till bedtime. It amused her parents all she wanted to do was cuddle with dad and watch cartoons. Horatio kissed the baby's head and caroused her hair. Rachel started to fall asleep in her dad's arms just before her bedtime. Aimee had taken their daughter to the park that afternoon and fresh air had tired the toddler out.

"I'll tuck her in. You relax," he said to Aimee.

"I'll meet you in our room," Aimee replied, getting up from the couch, rubbing Horatio's shoulder as she passed by him.

Horatio couldn't help but grin. "Okay."

Maybe this bad day wasn't going to end that way after all.


	3. Let's Talk About Sex

_**Let's Talk About Sex—aka 'girl talk'**_

_This chapter is rated M just to be safe._

Girls' Day out. Aimee 'had the day off.' Rachel was with her grandparents for the day. Lacey was no doubt showing her granddaughter off at every beauty parlor and shopping center in Dade County.

Aimee was over at her best friend Maria's apartment. Maria's cousin Cori-Lynn was visiting from Oregon. Cori-Lynn and Aimee hadn't met before. Cori-Lynn was getting married in six weeks. She and her fiancé were planning a two week honeymoon at the same resort that Aimee and Horatio spent their honeymoon at. She wanted to know what the resort was like.

"The rooms are nice," Aimee said with a smile

"They never saw anything else," Maria put in.

"Yes, we did!" Aimee defended in mock offense. "We saw the dining room and the beach for an hour a day—to give housekeeping a chance to change the sheets."

"And what if the maid didn't get there in that hour?" Cori-Lynn teased.

"Then _suerte resistente,_" Aimee said.

Cori-Lynn and her fiancé John already had two children, ages three and four. The conversation got around to pregnant sex when Cori-Lynn mentioned that she wasn't not at all fond of being pregnant because John 'barely' had sex with her for the following seven months. Well, Aimee almost choked on her pasta.

Cori-Lynn had a surprised, somewhat concerned expression on her face. Maria patted her cousin's shoulder.

"She doesn't have that problem. Her problem is keeping Horatio's hands off her," Maria said.

It was Cori-Lynn's turn to choke. "_Really?" _She said.

Aimee nodded. "My daughter's not even two; how do you think I got like this?" she said putting her hand on her stomach.

_**Translation**_

_suerte resistente – Spanish for 'tough luck.'_


	4. Pretty Girl

_**Pretty Girl**_

Lacy dropped Rachel off to her mother while she was at Maria's.

"She's beautiful," Cori-Lynn said of Rachel. "Hi sweetheart," she said to Rachel. "Oh my. You certainly do look like your daddy."

Rachel smiled shyly.

"Dada?" Rachel asked, looking up at her mother. She wanted to know where "dada" was.

"Daddy's at work. He'll be home soon," Aimee told Rachel.

"Someone is a daddy's girl," Cori-Lynn said.

Rachel enjoyed showing off her "pity" new nails that she had got painted a bright pink at the beauty parlor with "nana." The two stayed at Maria's house for another hour till Horatio came to pick them up. Maria was glad that Cori-Lynn would get to meet 'H.' She had told her cousin that although Horatio was fifteen years older then his wife, she hadn't seen a more compatible couple. The two were comfortable with public displays of affection but were always polite about the boundaries to that.

Cori-Lynn had heard during the afternoon that H was quite excited about the new baby's upcoming arrival.

"_He's looking forward to another little girl to spoil," Aimee had said._


	5. 1000 Words

_**A Thousand Words**_

_The photo said it all; Aimee and Horatio outdoors standing next to a big tree, the Miami sun beginning to set in the background. Horatio was standing behind a pregnant Aimee, his arms wrapped around her six month pregnant belly. Both were smiling, their happiness and affection for each other obvious. The picture had been taken the previous weekend. It was in Aimee's parents' backyard. Rachel couldn't be bothered to pose for the picture with them; she was too busy playing the puppy her uncle had bought over. The family had gone to a barbeque there that evening. Aimee's cousin had taken the picture and thought it was "absolutely beautiful." _

_The couple hadn't seen some family members since they had found they would be having another daughter. The father-to-be for the second time couldn't keep the grin off his face when he said it._

_It hadn't been a surprise to anyone that Aimee was pregnant with a "honeymoon baby." The same people were pretty sure if this whole Mason Shaw mess had not happened and sent them into hiding they thought Aimee would have been pregnant again when Rachel was just a few months old. Neither Horatio or Aimee could deny that could have happened._


	6. Irresistable

_**Irresistible**_

For all his adult life, Horatio had found the sight of a woman showing off her pregnant belly to be beautiful. On the woman he loved, it was just sexy and downright irresistible. He was glad she was comfortable with her pregnant body and he honestly felt proud to be holding her hand when she was on the beach in bathing suit. Horatio was reading the newspaper one morning where there was a featured photo of a happy pregnant woman proudly showing off her belly to a friend in the mall. The father-to-be thought it was nice photo. Reading the paper the next morning he found some readers felt just the opposite. Letters to the editor about the photo ranged from it was "disgusting," "utterly offensive" and the most ridiculous one came from a woman in her 60's. She said "pregnancy wasn't something you show off. You cover up and try to be seen as little as possible." Another one said the woman said "the woman should take a modesty lesson."

Horatio scoffed at the "be seen as little as possible" remark.

_Some people,_ he thought.

When Aimee was pregnant with Rachel they had a set of couple's portraits of Aimee _proudly_ displaying her pregnant belly with her blouse off. (She wore a black sports bra the whole time.) Horatio had his shirt off in the pictures and he and Aimee skin-to-skin contact in most of the photos. Some of the photos were taken in color and some in black and white. They planned to have another set done with this pregnancy pretty soon—and of course, include Rachel.

Horatio felt a small tug on his arm as he closed the paper. Eighteen-month-old Rachel's blue eyes and a big smile stared up at him. It was still early in the day, Rachel wasn't dressed yet. She wore just her diaper and a t-shirt. Horatio tussled his daughter's hair.

"Hi sweetheart," he said. "What ya doing?"

Rachel tugged at her father's hand.

"Play, dada," she said, pointing over at the toys on the floor.

"Okay."

Horatio didn't have to work till 1:00pm. Aimee was still asleep. He was going back to work later this evening so he wanted Aimee get some extra sleep because she would have Rachel on her own till late. The toddler could really tire her pregnant mother out.

Aimee woke up at 10:15 and took a shower before going to the kitchen for breakfast. Rachel was dressed for the day now. Aimee entered the room to see her husband and daughter sitting on the floor playing with Rachel's Little People Zoo©. The duo didn't notice her. Aimee smiled.

A moment later Rachel looked up and saw her mother. "Mom," she said.

"Morning," Horatio said, turning to look at his wife. "'You sleep well?"

"I did."

Horatio had left Aimee's breakfast in the microwave. Their dining room and living room was an open area. Aimee sat and watched her husband and child play while she ate. She knew they both enjoyed these mornings together so she didn't join in. Rachel was going to have her all day and when Horatio left he wouldn't be home till late.

"Daddy go?" Rachel said, her eyes sad.

Horatio held her in his arms and kissed her cheek.

"Yes, baby. Daddy has to go to work. I'll see you and mommy tonight."

Once Horatio was gone Rachel was always fine. But she was a daddy's girl so she didn't like to see daddy go to work.


	7. Seven Down Two to Go

_**Seven Down, Two to Go**_

Aimee marked off another day on the calendar. According to the calendar count her baby girl was due in another two months. Rick Stetler still hasn't been to trial. Horatio had recovered from his ordeal well. He even had attended some sessions with a therapist, something he didn't believe he would have done in the past, before he had a family. He hadn't wanted the trauma from what happened to him to affect his ability to be a good father and husband. He also wanted to set the example for Rachel and Cheyenna that it was okay to talk about your feelings after something bad happened to you.

"You ever worry if you had to deliver the baby, lieutenant?" An A/V technician asked.

This poor man had just found his wife was pregnant for the first time. _And _the first thing one of his buddies said to him was "imagine if the kid is born fast and you got to deliver it."

Horatio smiled.

"Well, think about every so often but worry no. I could do it. About a year after I started patrol I had to. I was terrified; as was the poor mother. But I was able to act calm and make the mom believe I knew what I was doing and that I had done it before, which was a lie. It all went okay. It was a boy.

"When it comes to my own, the doctor gave me the opportunity to deliver Rachel and I jumped at it. Hopefully I get the same chance this time. It's really awesome."

"Aimee was all right with it?"

"Of course; she had to be. They asked her first, then gave me the option. And the doctor was still there so she didn't have to worry."

Though both bit their tongues both Andy and Trey thought it was _gross_ that Horatio had wanted to deliver his baby over the doctor doing so since they _were_ at the hospital. Andy couldn't hold back asking _how_ Horatio wasn't made "uncomfortable" being "there" and how Horatio wasn't bothered by all the "blood and stuff."

Horatio laughed.

"Andy, to be blunt, Aimee may be your sister, but she's my _wife._ You have no idea what I've seen. As far as blood and fluids, have you forgotten I'm a CSI? So I'm used to that. And I never saw the blood or Aimee's body, I saw my daughter being born."


	8. Little Girls & Boys

_**Little Girls and Boys**_

If Aimee and he ever had a son Horatio would be happy _but_ he was truly happy at the thought of two little girls. _And_ any son of theirs was _not_ going to be named Horatio Junior. Besides the fact his wife _loathed_ this 'junior thing' and always had, Horatio told everyone he would never 'curse' a child with that name. He lost count of the number of times he was teased in school over his name. The couple that would be "lucky enough" to have four children, a large family by today's standards but that was nobody's business but their own.

For H, his home was finally his 'soft place to fall.' Lingering at work just to avoid going home to an empty house was long gone. His house was anything but empty or quiet these days and Horatio thought that was great. Hearing the pitter-patter of little feet start to run down the hallway to the front door when he came home. The moment Horatio stepped through the door and took off his shoes he'd start counting. He usually got to four or five before Rachel rounded the corner and raced toward him to be picked up.


	9. Who's That?

_**Who's that?**_

The skeletal remains of two people had been found in a wooded area. A week after the remains had been found a forensic artist from Jacksonville arrived at the lab to make clay busts of each victim in an attempt to identify them, the first step in solving the crime. The day the artist Arthur Myles arrived he noticed Horatio eating lunch in his office with a little girl and a pregnant woman. He saw Horatio scoop up the girl and tickle her. He then kissed the pregnant woman before the mother and child left. Arthur said he "hated" to be nosy but who were they?

Horatio chuckled. "My wife and daughter. Rachel is almost 2. Our second daughter is due in two months. Honeymoon baby."

Even Arthur knew that Horatio had yearned for a family of his own for so many years. A person didn't have to know Horatio Caine very well to see how much of a warm and nurturing father he would be.


	10. Daddy Duty

_**Daddy Duty**_

Rachel Caine was getting to be a big girl. She had given up her bottle on her own at 14 months old. Potty-training was another matter, however. She was struggling with that. Her parents were grateful that pull-ups were protective like diapers. They knew they had to be patient, it was a new phase in their daughter's life and she was just 22 months old. Hopefully Rachel would be "pretty much" out of diapers by the time the new baby arrived.

Horatio was on 'daddy duty.' Aimee was over seven months pregnant and Horatio had sent her for a day of pampering at the spa; a massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, the whole deal, figuring she deserved some quiet and relaxation. When their day started Horatio told Aimee he would give Rachel her breakfast, before handing her the gift certificate.

"Your appointment is at 1:00," he told her with a smile.

"You must have a very sweet man in your life," the woman doing Aimee's facial said.

"Oh yes," Aimee smiled. "He's incredible."

During the afternoon Horatio had Rachel to the beach to splash in the water and then to the playground. Aimee's day-long spa treatment was till four. She came home to a home-made lasagna dinner—her favorite. Cooking was yet another of H's talents.

"How was your day?" Horatio asked her with a smile when she entered the kitchen.

Aimee moved over and kissed him.

"Wonderful. Just what I needed. I love you."

"I love you, too. You deserved it—the day isn't over just yet."

Not only was there dinner, but Rachel fell asleep very soon after dinner from all the activity and fresh air. Horatio had much fun with his little girl during the afternoon, that had been his aim—but the fact that Rachel was fast asleep early and he could have his wife all to himself for the rest of the night was what he hoped for—Aimee being pregnant had only proved to enhance their sex life. Age had either not effect Horatio's 'abilities' or maybe, like wine, enhanced them.

Aimee sometimes smiled to herself, out of all her friends she was the only one with an older man and she was beginning to think from the stories she got to hear about their sex lives she was certain hers was the best.


	11. Are You All Right?

_**Are you all right**__**?**_

It was a busy day for Horatio. He had gone from the scene of an armed robbery to the scene of a break-in at a local residence.

Horatio had to hold back a chuckle. At the house next door the patrol officer had heard a woman screaming. He went to the house to see what the commotion was and found the woman was pregnant and just moments away from giving birth. The officer had to deliver the child. An ambulance had arrived and taken the mother and child to the hospital by the time Horatio showed up. He was amused at the normally tanned officer's pale complexion. He stifled a laugh walking up to the man.

"You all right, Nelson?" he asked.

The poor guy still looked as if he was going to faint.

"I don't know, lieutenant," he mumbled.

Horatio couldn't help but laugh this time.

"You'll get over it in a few days. It's not _that_ bad," Horatio said.

"_You_ ever deliver a baby, lieutenant?"

Horatio nodded. "Twice," he said.

He didn't mention that one of these babies was his own daughter.


	12. Pregnant again

_**Memories: **__**Pregnant...**__**again**_

Aimee and Horatio laughed at the coincidences their pregnancies occurred. Rachel was conceived the night her parents became engaged. Aimee had become pregnant the second time on their honeymoon after their second wedding. The first time Aimee had told Horatio she was pregnant she was scared. But when she told him she was pregnant with their second child—just after they returned from their honeymoon, there was a much more relaxed reaction.

_She had done the pregnancy test on a Sunday morning. Rachel was 'buzy'—as the toddler put it. She was eating a bowl of cherrios (with her fingers) watching her favorite DVD Cinderella. Her pink sippy cup with purple flowers on it was next to her. Horatio was sitting on the other sofa, reading the newspaper._

_In the bathroom, reading the word 'pregnant' on the digital test Aimee started to laughed. From the living room-kitchen area (which was all open) Horatio heard her and looked up from the paper._

_'Something is going on in there,' he thought. _

_Horatio put down the paper, got up from his chair and walked to the bathroom. The door was partially open. Aimee was standing by the sink looking at an object he couldn't see. Horatio knocked on the door lightly and came in. _

_"What's going on?" Horatio then saw what his wife had in her hand. Aimee was still laughing as she handed him the test. Horatio's face broke into a grin. "Oh honey!" He said, grabbing her by the waist, kissing her lips passionately._

_Aimee smiled and kissed him back._

_"I take it you're happy?" Aimee asked._

_"You have to ask?" Horatio said. "You know I am!"_

The couple laughed, reminiscing at this moment in their lives. They lay in bed after making love, Horatio rubbed his wife's round, protruding belly. The baby inside was doing a lot of moving. The form of her limbs could be seen.

"Yes, baby girl," Horatio said, kissing Aimee's flesh. "That story is about you."


	13. Even Daddies Have Bad Dreams

_**Even Daddies have Bad dreams**_

Even with the twice a month counseling Horatio was attending he still occasionally experienced nightmares. These nightmares consisted of him not making it to Aimee's hospital room in time when Shaw was strangling her. He shot and killed Shaw but not before Aimee was already dead. Before Horatio opened his eyes he could see himself sobbing, holding Aimee's lifeless body. Shaw's dead body lay on the floor in a pool of blood.

Horatio would wake up trembling with tears brimming his eyes from these dreams. The sight of a pregnant Aimee would calm him and cause him to realize he had been dreaming it often take him a long time to sleep again.


	14. People vs Elephants

_**People Vs. Elephants**_

Today was one of the very rare days Aimee did _not_ like being pregnant. The air-conditioning was the only reason she stayed sane. Rachel ha started going to a toddler swim class that week. Today Aimee's mother took her. Being seven months and three weeks pregnant tiredness was starting to set in again for the mother-to-be and Aimee was grateful her mother was such a help. Lacy just enjoyed any time she spend with Rachel—the fact that she was helping Aimee was a bonus.

On a day like today Aimee thought nine months was _too long_ to be pregnant.

_A man had to make it go on this long,_ she thought to herself trying to get comfortable on the couch. She picked up the remote control and flipped through the channels. She settled on the _Discovery Animal Channel_. There was a documentary on there about the elephant.

"Gee, the exact animal I feel like right now," Aimee said out-loud.

_"The elephant is the largest living land mammal. The female elephant will be pregnant for a total of 22 months," _the narrator stated.

Today the expectant mother felt it had been that long for her too.


	15. Saved by the Boss

_**Saved by the Boss**_

"What do I do, H?" Ryan said, panicking staring down at the crying two-month-old baby boy in the infant carrier on the table in front of him.

Ryan's sister, Jill had dropped her son off to her brother for all of 45 minutes while Ryan was on his break so she could run some errands. She had told Ryan that the boy "should" sleep through her absence, if not, his bottle and other baby essentials were there. The baby wasn't hungry and didn't need a new diaper so Ryan didn't know what to do.

"Pick him up, Mr. Wolfe," Horatio said with an amused expression.

"Do what?" Ryan said.

"Pick him up," Horatio repeated.

Ryan shifted on his feet uncomfortably;

"He's so small; I-I've never held a baby before, H."

Horatio raised his eyebrows in surprise, he would have plagued the CSI with questions on the topic but the poor baby on the table was getting more and more upset.

"Can I?" Horatio asked, turned the carrier towards himself. "Hey buddy," he cooed to the baby.

"Sure," Ryan said. "Go ahead."

"What's his name?" Horatio said, undoing the seatbelt of the carrier.

"Spencer."

"Hello Spencer," Horatio said to the baby. "What's the matter? Did you just want to come up?" The dismals of the Spencer's tears went down in seconds and his crying stopped. He even started to coo in Horatio's arms.

"You're good," Ryan said.

Horatio smirked. "I'd better be."


	16. Never Going to Happen

_**Never Going to Happen**_

Sometimes Horatio worried his life was too perfect. Once in a blue moon he would fear that Aimee would eventually found someone younger and leave him. He wasn't worried that she would deprive him of being a dad to their girls but of losing _her_. When she was out with her girlfriends Aimee was often hit on, given phone numbers and bought drinks. She ignored come-ons, sent back drinks and notes, stating she were happily. It got on her nerves sometimes that some men had a hard time taking 'no' for an answer.

Twice when Aimee was approximately four months—visibly pregnant with her second child, she was out with friends celebrating a birthday and another's job promotion she was approached—by men her age who were not by any means unattractive. When Aimee told the second of the two men she was "very married" the guy replied "so? Your ol' man just left. I'm sure he's got you on short supply. _You're_ young, _you_ could have some fun. Your baby might even enjoy it."

Horatio had dropped Aimee off and the man must have seen him kiss Aimee before he left.

Aimee told the guy he had better turn around and walk away if he didn't want the drink she had in her hand thrown in his face. She wanted _Horatio_ and only _Horatio._


	17. The Trial of Rick Stetler

_Just in case any of you wanted to know the fate of Rick Stetler following __**Horatio's Baby**__ I wrote a one-shot separate from the __**Family Life**__ Series but I decided to add it in. It features the arrives of Horatio and Aimee's second child, Cheyenna Hope Caine. I'm temporarily experiencing writer's block with this series but it will return ASAP. The next chapter will pick up with the CAines being a family of four!_

_**The Trial of Rick Stetler**_

Rick Stetler had been charged with one count of kidnapping, false imprisonment, felony assault and attempted murder in Horatio's case. It had taken over two years for the case to _finally_ come to trial. The court heard how Stetler's contempt for Horatio Caine had started when Horatio, then a detective, received the promotion to lieutenant and then was offered the promotion to head of the crime lab, over him. According to files from the selection committee, Horatio was given the position as head of the crime lab not only for his experience as a homicide detective both in New York City then in Miami, as second in command in the bomb squad in Miami but because of the empathy and compassion he showed victims and their families. The latter, Sgt. Stetler "grossly lacked" it had been documented. This incensed Sgt. Rick Stetler. It also got "under his skin" that everyone Sgt. Stetler met admired Horatio Caine.

Then there was Monica West, the now deceased disbarred district attorney. Monica had clashed with Horatio and the lab numerous times. So in an attempt to discredit the crime lab, she had stolen money from a case. This caused the FBI to investigate and the lab to be put under much scrutiny. The lab was immediately cleared when it was realized that Monica had stolen the money to try to shut down the lab—when the "anonymous" tips she had been sending to the FBI didn't start an investigation. The FBI had only did a thorough investigation after the drug money from the Mala Noche seizure went missing.

"Mutual hate for the victim bought the duo together," the jury heard. "This quickly turned into a passionate but deadly affair."

The prosecutor explained that Sgt. Stetler's co-defendant wasn't present because she had attacked a SWAT team member during the rescue of Lieutenant Caine. The shooting that had killed her had been ruled justified.

For Horatio and Aimee the timing of the trial couldn't have been worse. Aimee was three weeks away from giving birth to their second child, a little girl they planned to name Cheyenna Hope Caine. The prosecutor apologized profusely for the timing.

"I know the timing couldn't be worse for you, Horatio," he said. "I'm so sorry. But I'll do what I can to make your time in the courtroom as short as possible."

_You have no idea,_ Horatio thought.

Horatio's sole concern was that Aimee would go into labor while he was on the stand. The prosecutor, James Gibbs assured Horatio that if that were to occur He would be immediately excused from the stand."You'd be kept under oath, but you know that routine."

Horatio nodded. "I do. Thank you."

With just three weeks left in her pregnancy even the doctor couldn't guarantee Aimee wouldn't go into labor during Horatio's time on the stand. The only thing that Aimee could do to _try_ and not go into labor was relax and be calm. Aimee understood that and was determined to relax as much as she could. Horatio had made it clear he _did not_ want her in the courtroom. He knew that would bring back so many memories and be too much for her. Aimee couldn't argue that it would have been _very_ overwhelming. But only for the fact she was so very pregnant and that stress could sent her into labor she would have went—just so she could see Rick Stetler being led into the courtroom in handcuffs. As much as _Horatio_ wanted to see Rick in prison, _he_ wouldn't have even been in the courtroom if he didn't have to testify. To him he had more important to focus on—like the upcoming birth of his second daughter.

Horatio had been unbreakable on the stand. During cross-examination when the defense seized on the point that by the time he was rescued Horatio had a fever of 103 . He asked Horatio how could he be sure that he didn't hallucinate that it was Rick Stetler—not someone else—who was in that room during those hours.

"I didn't have a fever when I remembered feeling Mr.Stetler inject me with a hypodermic needle in that parking lot," Horatio shot back. "I didn't have a fever when I opened my eyes to the feel of Monica West's high heels kicking me in the ribs _or _when they pulled that string, turning on the light so I could see their faces full of laughter when Rick picked up a crowbar and started beating me with it.

"_And_ I developed that fever after being left in a refrigerated room for seventeen hours. Check your sources, _sir_, your client and his accomplice attacked me _before _then. And even if I _did_, _hallucinate_, as you say, when I developed that fever, _the evidence_ backs up my alleged_ hallucination._ Therefore, I think your hallucination theory is out the window."

The defense attorney complained Horatio was being 'unresponsive' and asked the judge to "direct the witness to answer the question."

"I believe he just did, counselor," the judge said. "Move on."

Horatio was excused from the stand after two days of testimony. He had been called to the stand on the fourth day of the trial. Eric Delko and Frank Tripp would testify in the coming days. The judge told Horatio that his presence was no longer required in the courtroom. He could leave if he chose to.

Aimee was surprised to see Horatio's hummer pull into the driveway. She had just put Rachel down for a short nap. The 21-month-old had an ear infection and hadn't sleep much the previous night.

"Hey sweetie," Horatio said, wrapping his arms around her from behind, kissing her neck. "How are my girls?"

Aimee couldn't help but notice her husband was much more relaxed than when he had left. "Hey yourself," she said, leaning back into him. "We're glad to see you."

Aimee turned to face Horatio and kissed him deeply.

"Hmm," Horatio murmured, a smile creeping across his lips. He sat down on the couch, Aimee laid down there with her head in her husband's lap. Horatio ran his fingers through her dark hair.

"So you don't have to go back to court?" Aimee asked him.

Horatio shook his head. "Jim's not sure how long more the trial will go on. He said he'll call me when the jury starts deliberating and when the verdict is in. As much as I want a conviction, I want to focus on other things," he said stroking her very swollen abdomen.

Aimee smiled, putting her hand up and touching Horatio's cheek.

"Me too."

Rick's trial lasted another ten days—as did Aimee's pregnancy. Aimee gave birth to Cheyenna Hope Caine the same day the verdict from Rick's trial came in. The mother-to-be was still in labor when the verdict was read—guilty on all counts, sentencing to be scheduled. Defendant to be remanded to custody. Two hours after he had a new daughter Horatio found out the verdict. The jury deliberated for over three days.

During those days the trial may be been in very back of Horatio's mind but his focus was the upcoming arrival of Cheyenna Hope Caine. Aimee had been to the doctor and according to the physician would "definitely" have the baby anytime now. This put everyone in the family in an excited mood—including Rachel even if she didn't know why she was excited—or completely understand this baby sister thing just yet.

"You need anything before we go?" Horatio asked Aimee.

It was the day before Aimee went into labor. Rachel was getting antsy being in the house all day. Horatio was taking her for a walk to the beach and for ice cream. Aimee shook her head.

"We're fine," she replied, smiling. "You two have fun."

"Okay. You try and get some sleep, alright? C'mon little one," Horatio said to Rachel. "Let's get some sun block on you and get to the beach."

"Make sure and put some on too!" Aimee called.

Even though her husband was a redhead so naturally very fair-skinned and easy to burn Horatio hated wearing sun screen.

"Yes, dear," Horatio called back.

The phone rang at three-thirty a.m. at at Lacy and Trey Michaels' home. It was their son–in–law telling them their daughter was in labor. Lacy immediately got into her car and drove there to babysit Rachel. The grandmother-to-be was excited but a concerned expression came to her face seeing _her_ child weather the pain of a contraction. Aimee was standing, gripping the edge of the kitchen counter, trying hard to take slow deep breathes. Her husband was standing next to her, holding one hand and rubbing her back with the other.

"That's it, honey," Horatio said to Aimee in a soothing tone. "You're almost though it. Good job."

"I'm all right, mom," Aimee told her mother after the contraction ended. "This is normal. Trust me."

"I'll take good care of her, Lacy," Horatio told his mother-in-law with a reassuring smile.

"Let's go," Aimee said, grabbing her husband's hand. She wanted to be sitting in the hummer before the next contraction hit.

"Okay," Horatio said, taking her cue. "We'll call you, Lacy. C'mon babe."

This time Aimee's labor was longer—16 hours. The first ten hours things went _slow_. It was ten hours before she progressed enough to be given an epidural.

"I'm _tired_, Horatio," Aimee sobbed. She was in so much pain and right now she just wanted to sleep.

"I know, sweetheart," Horatio replied softly, wiping the mixture of sweat and tears from her face with a damp towel.

The doctor came moments later and Aimee got an epidural. It took for a little over four hours—in which Aimee slept. Then it wore off. She then pushed for two hours before her daughter was born. The doctor again let Horatio deliver the baby. Aimee was and the staff noticed she were slightly more relaxed with her husband getting to 'catch' their daughter.

Horatio's phone was turned off while he was in the delivery room with his wife. The district attorney had started to trying to reach Horatio just as Aimee was starting to push. When he couldn't reach Horatio on his phone he called his home. James Gibbs told Lacy the verdict and she promised to pass it on to her son-in-law. Horatio was so ecstatic over Cheyenna's arrival he barely heard what Lacy told him about Rick Stetler's trial. Lacy knew that and decided to tell him again when the three came home—if he asked. She understood right now that were probably the last thing on his mind—if it were on his mind at all.

_"Siser!" _Rachel exclaimed, jumping up and down, looking at baby Cheyenna in the infant carrier that Horatio had just placed on the coffee table.

Her grandparents and parents laughed.

Later the same day Rachel was sitting on the couch, fascinated, watching her mother feed her baby "siser" her bottle.

"Tiny," Rachel said, pointing to Cheyenna's toes.

Aimee laughed. "I know. Cheyenna has tiny feet, doesn't she, honey?"

Rachel nodded and put her own bare foot in the air. "'Ig!" she said.

"Your feet are bigger, are they?" Her mom said, amused.

Horatio was in the kitchen talking to Lacy and Trey.

"I heard what you told me about Rick's trial, by the way, Lacy," he said.

Horatio hadn't decided if he was going to the sentencing hearing or even make a statement, yet. He might be busy at work that day or he might just doing something with his family. He knew the best 'revenge' he could have was to go with his life and enjoy his family.

Two months later Rick Stetler was sentenced. In the end, Horatio and Aimee both decided to be there but Horatio didn't make a statement. As it turned out, the judge was 'sickened' enough by the defendant. She sentenced Rick to 15 years for kidnaping, 5 years for false imprisonment, 5 years for felony assault and 20 years for attempted murder. A total of 45 years. Rick would have to serve at least 20 years before being eligible for parole. It was the end of another ordeal.

The family hoped this were the least ordeal they would have to go through. But if it somehow wasn't, they knew as long as they stayed together they could get through anything.

—FIN—


	18. Baby Makes Four

_**Baby Makes Four**_

It had been five days since Horatio Caine had become a father again. He had no issues about taking the three weeks paternity leave the department issued. As far as he were concerned the time was going too fast. So far Rachel seemed to be enjoying her baby sister—but that might have had something to do with the fact friends and family were stopping by and fussing over her as well as the baby. Even though Aimee had an "easy delivery" she was still supposed to take things slow for a few days to let her body recover—even if she now had a newborn _and_ toddler that she insisted on doing things for. The team visited when Aimee and the baby were home five days.

"She's very cute, H," Eric said, looking at Cheyenna in Horatio's arms.

"She looks so small," Ryan said.

_Tell that to Aimee_, Horatio thought.

He smiled.

Eric was happy to hold Cheyenna.

"They're not _that_ fragile, Wolfe," he said to Ryan. "Hi ya, pretty girl," he said to Cheyenna. "You certainly do look like your sister."

"She's adorable, Aimee," Alexx said to the new mother.

Aimee couldn't agree more.

It was 10:00. Rachel was long asleep. Horatio had just feed the baby and put her down. Baby Cheyenna would be awake again for another feeding in another two hours. Her husband kissed her forehead as Aimee dozed on the couch. He smiled as she stirred and opened her eyes.

"Shh. Go back to sleep, my love," he said, lifting her into his arms to carry to their bed.

Aimee closed her eyes again and snuggled into Horatio's shoulder. Horatio smiled and kissed the top of her head as he carried her to their bed. He carefully laid her down on their bed and put the covers over her.

"I'll be in with you in a few minutes," he whispered to her before he went to check and lock the doors and check on the kids one last time.


	19. Beautiful Girls

_**Beautiful Girls**_

Horatio smiled as he looked the small baby in her crib. It was still sinking in for him that he and Aimee had _two_ beautiful daughters.

"Good morning, precious," he said, picking her up in his arms, resting the baby's head on his shoulder and rubbing her back. Horatio kissed the top of Cheyenna's head. "And how are _you_, this morning? Are you ready for breakfast?"

The father smiled, listening to the eight-day-old make noises as he changed her diaper. This would be Horatio's first morning alone taking care of a toddler and newborn solo. He wanted to let Aimee sleep. He was sure last night was the first full night of sleep she had in months, considering the last few months of her being pregnant it was hard for her to find a comfortable position to sleep in.

By the time he was finished feeding the baby her bottle and was putting her in infant carrier Rachel was awake and running into the room. She would be two years old next month but already spoke quite well.

"Dada!" She exclaimed, loudly.

"Hi ya, sweetheart," he replied, smiling. Horatio picked the toddler up and kissed her face. "We have to be a little bit quiet, all right? Mama's still asleep."

"Mommy sleep? 'Eakfast?" Rachel asked.

"Daddy will get your breakfast. Do you want some cereal?"

Rachel nodded.

"Okay. Cereal it is," he said, placing her down in her chair with the boaster seat.

"Dada? Baby eat?" Rachel asked Horatio looking at her sister in the baby seat on the counter.

"Yes, your baby sister ate her breakfast before you got up," he said, tussling Rachel's hair.

Horatio was already good at multi-tasking. He placed Cheyenna in her baby seat on the bathroom sink and then ran Rachel's bath so he could have two of them in his sights at the same time. Cheyenna seemed ready for another nap by the time he had Rachel dried off and dressed for the day. Horatio had changed her again and she was dozing off in her swing by the time Horatio and Rachel was laying on the floor, coloring.

Aimee woke up just before 11. She smiled to see her husband barefoot in blue jeans and white t-shirt on the floor coloring pictures of princesses.

_I have quite a man,_ she smiled.


	20. Haitus

_Hello everyone! I've had to put __**The Family Life Series**__ on hold, I'm experiencing writer's block with the story with the combination of my new job and writing __**A Gentle Nudge From A Child**__ and putting together the __**yet-to-be**__ titled sequal to that story but I will post again as soon as I can! Thanx!_


	21. The Difference REVISED

_To get to Caine baby #4 in my __**"Family Life" Series**__, I've moved the story about a year. Enjoy!_

**_The Difference a Family Makes_**

Horatio Caine sighed heavily, his head resting on the steering wheel of the Miami-Dade department-issued hummer. He'd almost let rage get the best of him today and he could have lost _everything_; his livelihood, his badge, reputation and most importantly his family.

There was his beautiful wife Aimee. Their oldest child, Rachel was three, Cheyenna was fourteen months. Aimee would tell her husband tonight that she was pregnant for the third time. Horatio had _almost_ let himself beat a supposed child-protector, truly a pedophile, to a bloody pulp.

Horatio had asked the young girl, Mallary, whose home Lou Durning had come to, per the 14-year-old's request, with alcohol to "please wait outside." The father of two didn't want a child to witness a scene like this whether it was for her own sake or cover his own ass, if he was to lose control. The look Lou Durning's face when Horatio stepped out from around the corner, removed his gun from his holster and laid it on a nearby table, took off his watch and rolled up his sleeves and took a step forward, was terror.

The man lost control of his bladder and wet himself. Although it wasn't nearly enough for what he was, Horatio thought the humiliation of the stain on Durning's white jagging pants as the officer handcuffed him and led him out and then at the jail would be heavy. He almost wished he could be a fly on the wall so he see it.

He looked up to see the living room window. Three-year-old Rachel was standing on the sofa so she could see out the window. Horatio knew she had heard him pull into the driveway. She was grinning and waving at him. Horatio smiled, waved back at her and exited the hummer.

_For now, the image of Lou Durning and today's events left for his mind. As soon as he entered the front door he was met by his youngest child._

"_C'mon," her dad said, bending down. "Be careful, sweetie. Slow down." _

_Cheyenna giggled as she made her way unsteadily to his arms. Cheyenna was starting to master the art of walking by herself and stated to toddle towards him. She got excited and picked up her pace._

"_That's my girl," Horatio said, smiling, picking Cheyenna up in his arms when she reached him. "You're getting so good at this!"_

"_Hi daddy!" Rachel said, climbing off the couch and running over to Horatio. He picked her up in his other arm._

"_Hi ya, precious," he said, kissing her check. "I missed you guys today."_

"_Mommy too?" Rachel said._

"_I missed mommy, too," Horatio smiled. "Where is your mama?"_

Some close to the couple found it hard to believe that Horatio and Aimee hoped to have four children. Horatio's age and the age difference between him and Aimee being two of the big reasons. A home pregnancy test said that she was pregnant again, her period was four days late. The next day Horatio didn't have to work till eleven. She was taking that time to go to her doctor's office to confirm those results. Horatio didn't know this yet. Aimee wanted to tell him that night when he stepped into the shower with her after he read Rachel her bedtime story.

Or correction, she _would_ have told him, but he saw the corner of the E.P.T. box in the garbage can when he was undressing. Aimee had the tests locked in the top drawer of her nightstand. Horatio was observant, not gifted with x-ray version.

_Horatio kissed her deeply before he said anything._

"_Are you pregnant?" He asked her, not having seen the tests from the box._

"_Maybe," she smiled. "Why do you ask that?"_

"_I saw the box in the garbage."_

"_Well, those tests say I am. You're watching the girls tomorrow morning while I go to the doctor."_

"_Great."_

"_Great that you get to be with the girls or great we might have another baby?"_

"_Both," her husband replied, running his fingers down the front of her, to her inner thigh and to her core._

_Aimee knew her husband found pregnancy nothing short of beautiful._

_As it was, even with two toddlers the two still had a very satisfying sex life, in both their opinions. Even "baby-making" sex which some couples often found to be a "chore," was good. The only thing that having children had changed about their sex life was one, they learned to be more quiet, and two, most importantly to lock the door, even if they __thought__ they might be intimate._

Getting to spend the morning with his little girls was rare for Horatio. He savored every moment of it. He enjoyed listening to Rachel chatter about the latest episode of _Elmo's World_ and watching Cheyenna play with her peek-a-blocks while he cut up an ego waffle into strips for Rachel and strawberries and a banana into tiny bite-size pieces for Cheyenna. The one-year-old had mastered the skill of eating with her fingers and was quite proud of it. She had just eaten seven Cherrios.

Neither girl had asked where mom was this morning. Cheyenna's face had broke into a big grin and she squealed excitedly to see Horatio enter her room that morning instead of Aimee. Aimee had already left the house for her 8:00 doctor's appointment. The doctor knew why Aimee was there and Aimee would know if she were a mother-to-be again probably by 10:30. The physician was neither surprised by the fact that Horatio's wife was there for a pregnancy test or that the test came out positive. She knew Aimee and Horatio. It was refreshing to see a couple so in love. Sometimes in May-December couples the older spouse wasn't always happy to hear they would be having another child.

_Anyone _who knew Horatio Caine knew he was going to be thrilled.

"_Yep. You're pregnant," the doctor said. "About six weeks. I can schedule an ultrasound for some time this week. Wednesday good?"_

Aimee was happy on the drive home. Although she would be happy either way, maybe she and Horatio would have a boy this time around. She giggled at the sight of Rachel and Cheyenna putting pink Barbie stickers on their dad's arms and forehead.

"Hi," Horatio said.

"Hey," Aimee replied. "The boys at the lab would love your makeover."

_Dora the Explorer_ kept both girls busy a few minutes later so Horatio could talk to his wife in the bedroom.

"So?" He asked anxiously.

"What?" Aimee replied playfully.

Horatio grabbed his wife by the waist and kissed her hard.

"Come on, tell me!"

His wife smiled at him.

"You're going to be a daddy again," she said.

Those words sounded glorious to Horatio's ears. The notation of being an older father to small children didn't bother him. Age was just a number and hadn't felt younger since the day he had met the woman he made his wife. And he had always wanted children, Horatio had been pleasantly surprised to hear when he asked his then-fiancee how many children she wanted and she wanted more than the "standard" two children. Since Horatio had to get ready to go to work now they were going wait to tell the girls till that evening. They wanted to do it together. Both were pretty sure that Rachel would be excited and Cheyenna would be too. She just wouldn't know what she were excited about.

_Six Weeks Later..._

The couple had told very few people about their third pregnancy before Aimee were close to twelve weeks pregnant just to be on the safe side. They had told Rachel, who was known to be chatty, that mommy _might_ be having a baby when they found out the test results at six weeks. They told her for sure when Aimee was three months pregnant. But Horatio's excitement was transparent to his co-workers the very day he found out the news.

"_Aimee's pregnant, isn't she?" Natalia Boa Vista asked him when he walked into her lab at midday._

"_What makes you think that?" Horatio said, his face breaking into a smile._

"_I think I've known you long enough, Horatio," she said._

"_Yeah, she is," her supervisor replied. "We're trying to keep it quiet for another couple of weeks. We told Rachel it's only a 'maybe' till we hit the three month mark."_

That three month mark was today. Unfortunately Horatio wasn't able to be there for Aimee's first ultrasound. They had decided they wanted to find out the baby at the earliest point so they could tell the girls whether they were getting a new brother or sister. It was at the least minute that Horatio couldn't make the appointment. Aimee asked him if he wanted her to till next time to find out so he could be there.

"No, no," he said. "I wanna know. I'll call you later. Love you both."

"Love you, too."

Aimee was so excited to hear the technician say the baby she was carrying was a boy. The high-tech, detailed images the sonygram could take now allowed an experienced person to differentiate between genders as early as 12 weeks for about 90% accuracy. The mother-to-be was aware that eye and hair color and gender were "Horatio's territory" she was jubilant to be giving Horatio a son. Even though she had no doubt her husband loved their girls with every cell in his body, Aimee knew deep down Horatio had longed for a son, however that son was _not_ going to be named Horatio Matthew Caine Jr. The name may have fit him now as a man but Horatio had told his wife the teasing he had gone through in his childhood and teen years was relentless. He said he would never subjected any son of his to it.

Aimee called Horatio the moment she got out of the bathroom of the doctor's office. She was looking at the print of the ultrasound the woman had printed out. She had one for each member of their household.

"_Hey handsome," she said._

"_Hey you," he replied. _

"_Where are you? Can you talk?"_

"_Yeah. I'm in the lab. What's going on?" He was walking down the hall of his work place._

"_It's a boy," she replied. _

"_Really? That's awesome, honey."_

A boy.

A son.

Horatio could barely believe what his wife had just told him.

"What's going on, H?" Eric said_,_ seeing the expression on Horatio's face when he came around the corner. "Aimee and the girls all right?"

"Oh yeah. Aimee just called from the doctor's office. They did an ultrasound. It's a boy," his boss grinned.

"Wow. Congrats, man. You and Aimee gonna know what to do with a boy?" Eric joked. "You might need Alexx to put you guys through baby boy bootcamp."

When Rick Stetler was removed from Internal Affairs his 'no dating among co-workers' had been promptly abolished. The rule had narrowly voted in, in the first place. The remaining members and Rick's replacement had unanimously voted to throw out that rule. Horatio, Aimee and the rest of the lab had long known that Calleigh and Eric had been in love with each other for years and had been dating in secret in for almost three years, Eric practically living at Calleigh's. The lieutenant thought the two were meant to be together and had been glad the two were finally together. He was even more glad that they _finally_ didn't have to hide it.

The moment Horatio saw his pregnant wife that evening he grabbed her without a word, and the two were locked in a passionate kiss. The couple had invited Calleigh and Eric over for a barbeque after work. Eric walked in on them during their embrace.

"_Oh come on!_ Haven't you two figured out what that leads to, yet?" He said.

The Horatio Caine that lived in this house now was a new one. A better one. One who still had passion and dedication for justice but who knew there was life outside that. This Horatio knew how to keep his cool on the job at all times. He had too much to lose otherwise. There were moments if he stopped and thought about it he couldn't believe he had the wife and children he always wanted....

"Daddy! Are you weady?"

...but right now wasn't one of those moments. Rachel was waiting for him to finish making the popcorn so they could watch _Bolt_. Cheyenna and Aimee supposed to watched it with them but they had just fallen asleep. Cheyanna was curled up on the carpet with her favorite blanky and teddy bear who was named Sam. Aimee were asleep on the sofa. He was going to carry them both upstairs and put them in bed before the movie started. Rachel got excited during movies and Horatio didn't want her to wake her mother or sister.

"I'm coming, sweetheart!" He called back from the kitchen.

_After a long delay here is the first installment with the third Caine on the way. Hope you like it! I'll post again when I can!_


	22. More Waiting

"Did I hear the news right?" Alexx asked Horatio. "It's a boy?"

She had been out of the lab for two weeks. The M.E. had attended a week-long seminar in Chicago and taking a week off afterwards. She asked Calleigh what was new and was told that her boss's wife was having a baby boy.

"You did," Horatio grinned.

"That's wonderful, Horatio. I know Rachel must be so excited." Alexx offered to share any helpful hints on the differences of taking care of little boys verus little girls with the expectant couple when Aimee's due date got closer.

Horatio smiled.

"Yeah," he said. "We should take you up on that. Eric said you might offer us 'baby boy bootcamp' when the baby gets in."

"Bootcamp, huh?" Alexx laughed. "I wouldn't exactly call it that since you two already know what to do with a baby in general.

"I don't guess you two have picked out any names yet."

Horatio shook his head "no."

It was still too soon for that. But Aimee told Horatio that she might want to call the baby Matthew, Horatio's middle name. But they both had other names in mind; Austin, Zachary, Liam, Jesse and Adam were on the list. They didn't want to pick a name too soon. Horatio wasn't sure about calling his son after his middle name. But he also knew that if it was what his wife really wanted it would be so. Maybe he could convince her to settle on Matthew being a middle name.

Aimee was close to four months pregnant now. She was showing a little, she had gained almost twelve pounds and the baby bump was starting to appear again. This made both she and Horatio smile. The mother-to-be wasn't feeling any baby's kicks yet but was looking forward to when that would start. Ninety-eight percent of the time Aimee could say she loved being pregnant. Fatigue from her first trimester had subsided but Aimee had another type of fatigue. The fatigue of trying to keep up with a three-year-old and an eighteen-month-old while being pregnant.

"How come you're yawning, mommy?" Rachel asked after breakfast one morning. "Did you sleep? Did you have bad dreams?"

"Sometimes your baby brother makes mommy sleepy," Aimee told her little one.

"Bad!" The little girl said. "He not being nice to you, mommy."

"Oh no, honey. Your baby brother isn't bad. That happens to all mommies."

"Oh."

Eric and Calleigh both had the day off. The Caine girls enjoyed being with Uncle Eric and Aunt Calleigh. Eric was even teaching the girls Spanish. Rachel was becoming particularly fluent, like her mom. Aimee had been enrolled a Spanish Immersion all her school years. her borther had too, till the sixth grade when he asked their parents to take him out of it. Cheyenna seemed to be picking up the second language fast as well. Eric called, telling Aimee that he and Calleigh were going for a picnic in the park. He wanted to know if they could take the girls along. They wanted to take them to Seaworld afterwards.

"Sure," Aimee said. "Did Horatio tell you to call?"

Even if Horatio had, Aimee didn't mind. A nap sounded like a very good idea.

"No, he didn't," Eric said. "He doesn't even know," the Cuban chuckled.

"_Ewic! Cawwie!"_ Rachel exclaimed when she saw her father's co-workers walk in. She ran to the doorway, her little sister close behind.

"Hi ya," Eric said, picking the three-year-old up.

"Hola!" The little girl replied.

With the girls gone and the house quiet, Aimee laid back on the sofa and putting her feet up. It was close to lunch time, her girls would be having a picnic and Aimee was going to order in Chinese. Picking up toys and doing laundry could wait.

The delivery guy had just left when Horatio called.

"What's up? How come it's so quiet?"

"The girls aren't here. Eric and Calleigh got them out for a picnic and a trip to Seaworld."

"I see." .

Horatio knew the co-worker couple both loved children and the older man had a feeling that the duo might have some of their own in the future. They were great with Rachel and Cheyenna and the two little girls always seemed to jump at the chance to go do something with them.

"And I had a craving for Chinese. The delivery guy just left," Aimee told him.

"Aw. Save me some dumplings."

"Not on your life. I'm already sharing with your son and he's inherited mommy's liking of rice."

"Well, _excuse_ me," her husband laughed. "You feelin' okay?"

"Yeah. I'm good." Aimee said. She then told Horatio what Rachel had said about her baby brother that morning.

Horatio smiled on the other end of line. Rachel was a very smart little girl who could be quite protective of her immediate family when she thought someone was being 'mean' to them. The baby her mom was carrying wasn't really real to her yet at her age so it didn't come as a shock to Horatio that she said her unborn brother was being "bad."

It hadn't surprised Andy Michaels when his younger sister called him weeks ago and told him that she and her husband were expecting a third child. He didn't know what to make of his little sister being further ahead of him in life. Andy and his girlfriend of six years had broken up several months before. He was living with two buddies in a dump of an apartment. Aimee was married going on four years and was on her third child. The family lived in a large house close to the beach. The fact his brother-in-law was older didn't even cross his mind anymore. Horatio was a great dad to his nieces and he couldn't treat his sister any better.

Aimee and everyone in the family thought they knew why Andy wasn't in the same spot in life. Despite the fact that Andy was a great guy and could have any girl he wanted, he seemed to gravitate towards women who were sluts. His last two girlfriends had cheated on him and had been for a while before he realized it.

Still Andy was happy for his sister. She deserved a man like Horatio Caine and his nieces and nephew-to-be deserved the kind of father Horatio was.

Calleigh and Eric were now seriously discussing marriage and children. They were sure that a wedding, most likely an informal one would be quickly be followed by children.

"What's the hold up with you two anyway?" Aimee asked Calleigh. Aimee Caine was talking in general, not specifically in either marriage or children. "You can get started on your future and not have to worry about your jobs now. That was what was stopping you before."

The ballistics expert had come over to drop off some Easter goodies for the girls. The children had ran off to play with their plush bunnies.

"I don't know," Calleigh said, sheepishly. "It's _definitely_ not the thought of being with Eric the rest of my life that scares me. I guess part of me doesn't know how I'd handle pregnancy and childbirth.

"What's it like?"

"I can't answer that question for you, Calleigh," Aimee said. "It's different for everyone and can be different daily. Sometimes hourly. But even with the bumps in the road, being a mom is awesome."

Just because for the most part Aimee enjoyed pregnancy didn't mean it would be the same for Calleigh. The lieutenant's wife wasn't even going to address labor and childbirth. The _only_ positive thing she could say about that was there were an end to it. Aimee also knew it was possible to _loathe_ every moment of being pregnant and but love parenthood.

"Horatio is after rubbing off on you," Calleigh smiled in reference to how Aimee said she couldn't answer that particular question for her.

Aimee laughed.

"After four years what would you expect?"


	23. Worth The Wait REVISED

Horatio thought it had been well worth the wait to become a husband and father. Even though he didn't doubt he would have savored the two earlier in life that would mean he wouldn't have Aimee. Horatio had never met anybody who understood _him_ and the demands and risks of his job. And loved him anyway, the way she did.

All Aimee asked of him was that she and the children not be ignored or neglected when Horatio was home. Considering all the crap a cop's wife had to put up with Horatio thought she had every right to ask that of him. If he didn't deliver _he_ was only one at fault.

Seeing the Caines so happy Eric and Calleigh were seriously considering starting a family, maybe even before getting married. Rachel and Cheyenna were the happiest little girls. Horatio and Aimee were awesome parents and a great couple. The two lovers wondered how the married couple kept the romance alive with two small children and another baby on the way.

"I wonder if the baby gonna be a mini H," Eric said to Calleigh. The two were laying in bed together early in the evening.

"Yeah, I wonder," Calleigh replied. "He probably won't be a lil' redhead though."

Both Rachel and Cheyenna had chestnut brown hair. That made sense with their mom having black hair and Horatio being a redhead. A perfect mix. Both children had inherited their father's bright blue eyes and facial features. Because Cheyenna Caine would only be twenty-two months old when her baby brother was born, the couple were thinking of getting another crib. Alexx told them they might want to hold off on doing that however. The new baby would be in the bassinet for a while and by the time he outgrew it and was ready for the crib Cheyenna might be ready to use her toddler bed.

The bed was already in her room. Her parents thought if the girl to get used to seeing it she might move from her crib easier.

Wrong.

At present, Cheyenna played with her stuffed toys on the white railed Sleigh bed. She told her parents that her toy bears slept there. Using that logic mommy and daddy tried asking if Sam, her favorite bear, who currently slept with Rachel in her crib wanted to move there, have Rachel come with him and the other bears could sleep on a cushion on the shelf.

Rachel's answer was no. Her parents figured there was still time with four months left in Aimee's pregnancy and the fact the new baby would be sleeping in a bassinet in their room for a few months.

The names for the baby were now narrowed down to two; Jesse and Matthew. So far. there was plenty of time to change their minds. Aimee thought the name Jesse Matthew Caine was nice. Horatio was beginning to like the idea of he and his son having the same middle name.

Horatio thought the lab tech in front of him was insane. Cory Robbins and his wife were expecting their first child. Cory was telling Horatio that he was "determined" that his wife not have pain medication during childbirth, even if she decided she couldn't handle natural childbirth after all. Unless she had to have a c-section, that is. The man was not cold-blooded.

"What do you think, lieutenant?" He asked Horatio.

"I think you've lost your mind," Horatio said raising his eyebrows. "I'd have to have a _death wish_ to do that. That would be the same as handing Aimee my gun and saying 'here, dear. Shot me.'"

"You wouldn't do the same thing if your wife stated adamantly before-hand that she didn't want drugs?"

"No," Horatio said. "I wouldn't. Because, number one, what she says _before_ going into labor is totally different from what your wife needs or desires when she's finally in labor. Second, it's _her_ body going through the pain, not yours. To quote my wife 'when it's you on the bed with your feet in stir-ups then _you_ can go natural.' The mom's the one who decides whether she receives pain medication. I find it unbelievable that you rather see your wife suffer in unnecessary pain just so _you_ can say she did.

"If I was to do that with Aimee, I'd either be a) dead on the floor because Aimee could kill me with one blow; they'd give her the epidural and _then_ move my body. Or b) I'd be in the fetal position on the floor begging for an epidural myself because of the fierce kick she gave to my lower region. Either way, Aimee'd be getting what she needed."

Horatio could actually picture himself laying on the floor of the labor room, whether he was dead or withering in agony.


	24. The Name Game

_**The Name Game**_

It was a good thing there was four months left in Aimee's pregnancy. She was still trying to decide the name she liked most for the baby boy she carried. The name Austin was high on her list. Austin Matthew Caine sounded nice too. Her husband now thought it was a nice idea for the unborn child to share his middle name.

Horatio Matthew Caine.

Austin Matthew Caine.

Both had a nice ring to it.

Cheyenna Caine was fascinated at how "iny" newborn clothes were, she was even more fascinated that she once worn clothes that small. The parents had plenty of some neutral onesies and sleepers but the majority of the baby items they already had were pink, or if not pink, girl-themed. The neutral items could be used again but shopping was in order for the wardrobe for the new baby. Aimee hadn't had to do as much shopping for baby clothing wise during her second pregnancy because they already had so many things. The mother-to-be was enjoying picking out blue clothes with car, trucks and trains and "daddy's little man" printed on them. She had a feeling that Austin or Jesse would certainly be "daddy's little man."

Eighteen-month-old Cheyenna Hope Caine was sound asleep in the umbrella stroller. Shopping with mommy was tiring. There was so much to see and point at. Before she had fallen asleep mommy had said they would go to McDonald's soon. Cheyenna loved to eat mommy's fries. If she wanted more than five or six fries for herself Aimee had to super-size.

"It's a boy, huh?" Aimee heard from behind her while shopping in the baby section at Walmart.

She turned around to see Sophie Myers.

"Sophie. Hey!"

Aimee gave the other woman a hug. She knew Sophie through her biological mother, Gail. Sophie barely associated with Gail now. The woman had no regard for the feelings of others, even the two children she gave birth to.

"Long time, no see. You look great," Sophie said. "She's adorable," she said looking at a sleeping Cheyenna. "She's looks like Horatio."

"This is Cheyenna. We just dropped Rachel off at school."

The two woman sat down at the McDonald's in the store to chat. Aimee made sure to remember get Rachel a happy meal to go. Cheyenna woke up after a few moments and wanted fries, her mom's of course. Aimee had ordered a plain cheeseburger and fries. She happily munched away while Aimee showed Sophie photos of three-year-old Rachel.

Rachel went to preschool three half days a week. That was where she was now.

"How far along are you?" Sophie asked.

"Five months on Wednesday," Aimee said.

The last time Sophie had seen Aimee and Horatio, Aimee was just four months pregnant with Rachel. Sophie knew many others who were close to the couple and knew all about the ordeals the couple had been through in the past few years. The attack on Horatio's life; having to live at the safe house when an escaped convict was after them and how Aimee had survived near strangulation in the hospital bed by this man and Horatio shooting him. She was glad those times were over and they were able to have the family life both deserved.

"And how old are you?" Sophie asked Cheyenna.

Cheyenna held up one finger.

"And add six months," Aimee put in.

"Looks like two daddy's girls," Sophie said.

_You have no idea,_ Aimee thought.

Sophie also saw a few wallet size photos from the couple's second wedding. She thought that it was sweet how the couple had included Rachel in some of the pictures. She thought the most adorable one of the couple, their daughter sitting on their laps between them. Rachel had a big grin on her face as each parent kissed her on each cheek. Sophie could imagine what a doting daddy Horatio was just by the adoring way he looked at a pregnant Aimee three years ago.

"You should come over for dinner sometime. I know Horatio would love to see you, too," Aimee told Sophie. The other woman readily accepted the invite for that Sunday evening, the thought of getting to see Horatio Caine in the role of daddy was too much to resist. Aimee's parents Lacy and Trey were coming over as well. Technically they were cooking. They wanted to give their pregnant daughter a chance to rest and enjoy a day with her family. Horatio had to work over-time on that Saturday.


	25. Sunny Sundays

_**I have a question I hope someone can answer. I started reading a story a while back where Ryan and Kyle were half-brothers. Ryan was 25 and Kyle was 16. Horatio had just informed both that Frank had cancer. Anyone know what this story is called?**_

_**And now without further ado, here's another day in the life of the Caine family...**_

_**Sunny Sundays**_

_This sucks, Horatio thought sitting in his office going through paperwork. Before Saturday was just "another day at the office." Things were different now. He wanted to be at home right now, sitting on the floor in his pajamas eating fruit loops and watching cartoons with his girls, letting Aimee sleep in._

_Every three weeks, he had to work one day on the weekend. He choose Saturday this month._ _His in-laws were coming over for dinner the next day._ _The husband and father was glad that he only had to be at the lab till noon. At least he could spend the majority of Saturday with his family._

Seeing Horatio Caine in family mode was everything Sophie Myers expected. She chatted with her friends in the kitchen, watching the family the backyard. Sophie watched as Horatio and Aimee hugged and he kissed her brow. Aimee smiled.

_"You gives mommy a lot of kisses, daddy," Rachel said from her swing. _

_"I do. That's because I loves mommy," Horatio said. "When I get my hands on you I'm gonna tickle you and give you kisses," he said starting to chase his daughter. _

_Rachel shrieked with laughter._

"Sweet to watch, huh?" Lacy asked her friend.

Lacy was gathering up the ingredients for her homemade spaghetti sauce while her friend chopped vegetables for a caesar salad. Her husband Trey was making the meatballs. He made sure to make some small ones for Rachel and Cheyenna.

"It is. Did you ever imagine that Aimee would find love like this?"

Lacy knew her friend meant both the couple's age difference as well their chance meeting. Lacy had to admit she had been surprised. But it had taken less than a day for Horatio to win Aimee's family over.

"But he's too awesome," Lacy said. "No man has ever made Aimee smile like Horatio does. And I couldn't ask for the girls to have a more dotting daddy."

From they met Horatio Caine, Aimee's parents so hoped that Aimee would marry this man, fifteen years her senior or not. Although she had been nervous to tell her parents she was pregnant with Rachel the grandparents-to-be had been bursting with excitement the moment the words escaped her daughter's mouth. Lacy had literally squealed in happiness. A handful of Lacy's friends had then her as great as he might be when the baby was born, they had heard a lot of older fathers were especially "squeamish" about being in the delivery room. Horatio might be at the hospital but Lacy might have to go in the delivery room with her daughter.

Not that she wouldn't have. Please. Lacy was _dying_ for the chance to witness her grandchild's birth. But she knew she wouldn't. She knew how bad Horatio wanted to be there with Aimee. He had never cried so hard in his life at the first sight of both babies. It was precious to Lacy that Horatio wanted to, and got to deliver both his daughters.

Sophie couldn't tell who was more of a daddy's girl, Rachel or Cheyenna.

"Doesn't that ever hurt your feelings?" Sophie asked Aimee.

"Nah," Aimee said. "They _do_ love me, ya know. Daddy being at work all week gets him attention when he's home."

"What about you?"

Aimee looked down at her pregnant belly.

"Does it look like I lack his attention?" She smiled.


	26. Memories: First Time

_**Memories: **__First Time_

The first time Aimee and Horatio kissed beyond the polite peck on the cheek, Aimee felt sparks fly.

_Oh my god! _She thought. After that she was dying to bed him. It was their second date.

The two didn't wait long for that. Aimee invited Horatio over after he left the lab the following evening. They were supposed to have dinner. However when their eyes met at the front door there was quickly a trail of their clothes leading from the small hallway to the Aimee's bedroom.

"Wow," Aimee breathed after the two lay spent in bed. Horatio had his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

In the _very_ back of her mind Aimee was thinking she just might be a "booty call" but was hoping she wasn't. She was already starting to have strong feelings for this man. Horatio seemed to read her mind.

"You know I'm not going anywhere, right?" He said, kissing her brow, tightening his arm around her. "You can't get rid of me that easy."

"Good," Aimee said, heaving a happy sigh.

Both chuckled a few moments later realizing dinner was now cold and lumpy as rocks.

"Chinese or Italian?" Aimee asked, reaching for the cordless phone on the night table.

"You're the lady of the house. Whatever you like."

The Italian restaurant down the block did delivery. Aimee ordered spaghetti with extra meatballs. Horatio ordered fettucini alfredo with chicken. The young woman always thought people should themselves on dates. As _sexy_ and as good in bed as Horatio Caine was, she didn't care if he though the order was large for as woman of her petite size. As it turned out, Horatio didn't think anything of her food order. If the lieutenant _had_ said something she'd treat him like everybody else, tell to shove his opinion.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," she said after he paid for the food delivery while she were in the bathroom.

This gesture would be minor but it would be the first time Aimee would see Horatio often did things for people that he didn't have to.

_Please vote on the new poll I have posted on my updated page!_


	27. You're what?

_**You're **__**what**__**?**_

_CSI: NY I threw in a small mention of Danny & Lindsay's new baby. I named her Lydia Mackenzie._

"_Again?"_ A patrol officer at the front desk said.

"What?" The receptionist said.

A five and half month pregnant Aimee Caine and her daughters had just exited the elevator and were headed to Horatio's office.

"Lieutenant Caine and his wife. They're expecting again?"

"Yep," the woman answered. "Word around here is that it's a boy, this time."

Dr. Sheldon Hawkes and Det. Danny Messer were in Miami for a three-week conference. They had dropped into the crime lab and were bantering with Horatio. Danny was a new father. He and his wife, fellow detective Lindsay Monroe had five-month-old daughter named Lydia Mackenzie.

The younger detective had told Horatio and Dr. Hawkes when Horatio asked when he and Lindsay were going to have another child that he wasn't sure if they were. At 37, Danny said, although he _adored_ Lydia and would never take back her surprising arrival, he thought he was too old to do it again. Though hours following Lydia's birth Lindsay had told their friends and family that Lydia was going to be an only child because she was "never doing that again," Lindsay was now only considering their daughter being an only child simply because she and her husband were the same age and she felt the same way about her age. Plus with their jobs she worried if they would have enough time to give to two children. It was no longer the notion of the pain of childbirth that turned her from having another child.

Lindsay and Lydia had come to Miami with Danny. They were back at their hotel suite.

Sheldon Hawkes smiled. He knew Horatio Caine would have something to say about that.

Horatio rolled his eyes at Danny.

"You're _too old? _Good god, man! You're two years past 35! I'm older than you and Aimee and myself will have number _three _soon."

This was the first the New York duo had heard of this. They knew Horatio was married with two girls. Their photos were on his desk. Both men thought the girls were very cute.

"Whoa. Congrats, Horatio. 'Didn't know that," Danny said.

"Yeah, congratulations. Your girls must be happy," Sheldon said.

"Thanks. Actually, they should be here shortly."

As if on cue, 19-month-old Cheyenna and 3-year-old Rachel ran through the door. Their mother was a short distance behind and had told them not to run but knew that was useless.

"Hi daddy!" Rachel said as their father picked both of them up.

"Their poor mom," Sheldon chuckled to Danny.

Both men laughed. Seeing Aimee walk through the door both New Yorkers rose from their chairs, both thinking Aimee should have a seat.

"Aren't you two gentlemen?" Aimee said, taking the seat Danny had been in. She recognized the two detectives even though she hadn't seen them since Rachel was Lydia Messer's age.

"I hear congratulations are in order for you and Lindsay," Aimee said. "What's her name? Lydia?"

"Yeah. Lydia MacKenzie." The New York Detective took out his phone and showed Horatio's wife his daughter's picture.

"She's cute. Tell Lindsay any time she wants to drop over with Lydia while you're in town she's welcome. Beats staying in the hotel."

"Thanks. I'll sure she'll take you up on that offer."

"So, another eight months, you'll be planning your second one?"

"Detective Messer has already informed me that he and Mrs. Messer had decided they're too _old_ to give Lydia a sibling," Horatio said, while still playing with their daughters.

Horatio knew his wife would something to say about this. She was only six years younger than Lindsay Messer.

"You're joking, right? So, I guess senior years for you two is what, 45?" Mrs. Caine said.

Horatio hid a smile. If Lindsay spent an afternoon with his family a second child wouldn't be such a crazy idea. After all, Aimee would admit even _she_ said "I'm _never_ going through that again" within hours of giving birth, twice.

Had she meant it? Her current state proved otherwise.

_Up next, Lindsay Messer visits the Caines!_


	28. Company REVISED

_**Company**_

Lindsay Messer jumped at the chance to meet Lt Caine's wife and children. It was going to be nice to get out the hotel room as well. She hadn't got to see much of the city. Lindsay smiled at her husband as he talked about meeting Aimee and the two little girls.

"Aimee's really nice. Their lil' girls are adorable. Rachel proudly told me that she's getting a new baby soon. But she's getting a little brother. Cheyenna is adorable too. It was great seein' 'em. Aimee said she'd be glad to show you some of the city."

Lindsay laughed.

"Sounds like I'm in for a good time tomorrow," she said.

Lindsay had met first Horatio Caine five yeas ago when he came to New York City to help investigate a case linked to a fugitive from Miami. She had always thought he was a good man but like her own supervisor it was readily apparent he was lonely and that there was something missing from his life. Arriving at his address the next day, it was obvious to Lindsay that the Miami lieutenant had found that missing piece. When she stepped through the front door Lindsay was greeted by a bare-foot, diaper-clad Cheyenna Caine a few feet in front of her.

"Hi there," Lindsay said. "You must be Cheyenna."

_My god! Those eyes!_ She thought. _Danny was kidding!_ Her husband had told her the Caine had the brightest blue eyes.

Cheyenna nodded and pointed to the baby carrier. "Baby." She said.

"Yeah, this is my baby," Lindsay said. "Would you like to see her?"

The little girl nodded again. Cheyenna's parents and sister came downstairs then.

"Lindsay!" Horatio said with a big smile, coming over giving her a hug.

Lindsay had never seen an expression on the redhead's face before. This was definitely a different, much happier man.

"Hey. Long time," she replied.

"For sure. And who's this pretty girl?"

Lindsay put the diaper bag down and placed the baby carrier on the kitchen table.

"This is Lydia," she picked up the baby from the seat. "Can you say 'hi' to Horatio?" she said to the baby.

"Hello there, Lydia. You look like your daddy."

"You wanna hold her? 'Not even gonna ask you if you know how to hold a baby."

"Absolutely," Horatio said, taking Lydia.

"Hi. You must be Aimee," Lindsay said, "what's your name?" She asked Rachel who was at her mother's side. Cheyenna was now next to Horatio, he was bent down to her level as she looked curiously at the baby in his arms.

"Rachel," the little girl said, shyly. "I'm three years old."

Lindsay started to enjoy herself very quickly at the Caines' house. Aimee was very nice. It was evident she and Horatio were very happy and had great kids. The two woman chatted in the kitchen while Rachel and Cheyenna watched cartoons. Lindsay fed her daughter. The five were going to take a stroll to the beach shortly. Lindsay was looking forward to seeing the ocean. The New York City CSI was curious to how Aimee and Horatio met.

Aimee smiled as she told the story of the flat tire and a waitress sitting them together three weeks later. "You could call it fate, I guess," she said.

Aimee's two girls ran in to the room then.

"Can we go to the beach now, mommy?" Rachel said.

"Okay. Let's go brush your teeth and get your shoes," Aimee said, starting to get up.

"Want me to take them up?" Lindsay said. "I don't mind."

The memory of what it was like to move around and walk stairs while pregnant was still all too clear in Lindsay's mind. She didn't mind helping out her new friend.

"Okay. Can you guys show Lindsay where your stuff is?" Aimee enjoyed taking baby Lydia in her arms while her mother went upstairs.

Rachel nodded and reached for Lindsay's hand. Danny's wife smiled.

"Did you ever think of stopping at one?" Lindsay asked "You never thought 'I'm never going through that again" after the first time?"

Lindsay still felt guilty about saying, thinking and feeling that way. Aimee could tell.

"Well, _twice_ I said that for a few months after. But I didn't regret going through it, and I know you don't. You shouldn't feel guilty, trust me. You adore Lydia. Everyone can see that. You can love your baby more than anything and admit childbirth is _hell_. You have to stop beating yourself up, Lindsay!

" It _did_ take me a close to a year to start thinking of having a second child. That being said, we hope to have four. I don't know what you and Danny want. Every family is different."

The five were now at the beach. Rachel and Cheyenna played in the sand a few feet away. Lindsay felt a bit odd that a woman six years younger than her had advice that made her feel better. Then again Aimee had been married longer and had two toddlers and a baby on the way. She and Danny had been married less than a month before Lydia was born.

"Do you ever worry that you won't have enough time to give to more than one child? I mean, Danny and I have been talkin' and I'm contemplating only going to back to work part-time, 'cause otherwise she'd spend too much time at the babysitter's and they'd get to see all the special things and firsts. Even with that, I worry that each kid wouldn't get enough attention."

"I thought about that, too, at times. It sounds weird but when you add one to the ones you already have, you all just adjust."

After that, the conversation turned more light.

"You two worried about how the 3 a.m. diaper changes are gonna go with this one?"

Aimee laughed. She knew what Lindsay meant. It was easy to remember the "precautions" of changing a baby boy during the day but being half asleep at three in the morning was a different story.

"We already have the bet going who's gonna get it first. If it don't happen in the first week he gets too relaxed."

_**The Messer Hotel Suite**_

"Enjoy your day at the beach?" Danny Messer asked.

"It was great," Lindsay Messer said. "I even learned to build a sandcastle coutesy of Rachel. And we went to seaworld. I told Aimee anytime they're in New York to look us up."

"That's great. Sounds more fun than my day."

**_The Caine Home_**

"Rachel wants to know when we're going to go to New York City."

It was the end of the day and Aimee had her feet in Horatio's lap.

"Oh really?" Horatio said.

"Yeah. She wants to go during the winter so she can see snow. Lindsay told her any time we went that she would show her around and she could play with Lydia."

It was going to be a while but a second child was no longer a far-fetched idea for the Messers after meeting the Caine family. Horatio had told Danny he couldn't imagine how boring life would be with just one child. Danny had asked him the same thing about being able to give each child enough attention and not just him because of the unpredictability of his job but Aimee as well. He knew just because Aimee didn't have a money-paying outside the home, she did the equivalent of two, maybe even three jobs.

When the Messers arrived back home and Mac Taylor asked them what the best part of the trip, both Danny and Lindsay had to say it was meeting and spending time with the Caine Family. Lindsay asked Mac if he knew Horatio and his wife were expecting their third child, a boy. It was news to Mac but he couldn't say he were surprised.

"I gotta say marriage and children have really changed Horatio. He's one happy man nowadays."

"I can think of two more people that happened to," Mac said with a smile.


	29. Crazy

_**Crazy**_

Horatio never denied he wanted a family. But if someone told him his family would start when he were 41 he'd told them they were crazy. For years he practically _avoided_ being at home. It was empty and cold. Sometimes Alexx teased him if he had found someone in the next two years she was getting him a cat to keep him company. Now Horatio hated being _away_ from home.

Tonight he had got home in time for dinner. One look at his wife, almost 6 months pregnant and Horatio could tell she were very tired. Even if their little girls were behaving which they did most of time keeping up with them while pregnant was hard for Aimee. The four had dinner together and then Horatio told Aimee to take a break.

"I got it. I'll clean up and get these two ready for bed. You go put your feet up," he said, giving her a kiss and stroking her round belly.

"Thank you," Aimee said smiling, kissing him back. "I'm actually going to go take a bubble bath."

Aimee sighed laying back in warm water, inhaling the scent of the lit candles deeply. She knew how lucky she was. Not every husband would tell his wife to go take a rest and he would clean up the kitchen and get two toddlers ready for bed after he had worked all day, even if she were pregnant.

Aimee smiled as she vaguely heard her husband getting the girls ready for bed in the other bathroom. She heard two sets of little feet run down the hall to the living room and Rachel call out "weady daddy!" meaning the children had picked the stories they wanted read or the DVD they wanted to watch. Passing the living room twenty minutes later she saw the trio were watching _The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh_. As always Cheyenna was almost asleep already. It was 7:20 and the girl consistently fell asleep around 7:45 at night. Three-year-old Rachel got to stay up till 8:30 and wouldn't usually fall asleep till she were tucked into bed and she were alone. When he were sure his younger daughter were asleep Horatio excused himself and placed her in her crib and then came back to watch the rest of the movie with Rachel.

Laying back in bed in the master bedroom Aimee smiled and opened her eyes to the feeling of her baby move. It was faint, she only begun to feel the sensation in the past two days but it never failed to fill her with happiness.

"Yes, baby," she said rubbing her round abdomen. "Mommy loves you. Daddy does, too. He can't feel you move yet when he touches mommy's belly but in a few weeks he will. I know you love it when Daddy talks to you, don't you?"

The mother-to-be had drifted into a light sleep when her husband came into the room at 8:45 after tucking their oldest into bed. He smiled at peaceful she looked. He stroked her hair and placed a soft kiss on her brow. His left hand stroked where his son was growing. He lowered his head and kissed Aimee protruding belly.

"I love you, little guy," he whispered.

Horatio quietly undressed down to his boxers and climbed into bed next to his wife. Feeling his presence Aimee turned over and put her hand on his chest.

"Hey," she murmured.

"Hey," he replied, taking the chance to give her a deep kiss, which Aimee really enjoyed. "You smell good. You enjoy your bubble bath?"

"Uh-huh. I'm a lucky girl. Not every husband would let a woman relax after he spent all day chasing down criminals."

"Well, I _am_ a rare breed," Horatio said, "but every man should do that. Even if the beautiful lady isn't carrying." His hand rested on Aimee's abdomen again.

"Two weeks or so, babe," she said. "But he can hear ya."

"I know," Horatio smiled.


	30. Excuse Me?

_**Excuse Me?**_

Horatio had told her according to his mother he had weighed ten pounds, three ounces at birth. This had scared Aimee when she was pregnant for the first time. But after both their daughters had been born in the normal six to seven pound range when she got pregnant for the third time she wasn't worried till she were bigger than usual. The doctor wasn't overly concerned. All of Aimee's blood tests came back normal so she had asked the pregnant woman about her husband's family history. Hearing about Horatio's birth weight and after doing another ultrasound, the doctor gave Aimee a reassuring explanation.

"I can assure you're fine. But in addition to the other areas of weight in pregnancy your baby boy now weighs about six pounds, maybe a bit over that."

Aimee couldn't believe her ears. She had to ask the physician to repeat herself. The doctor saw the patient's shocked and horrified expression, knowing she had three months to go.

"But there's nothing wrong with that," the doctor said. "He's doing fine. Don't worry." She further reassured her patient that woman delivered large babies 'just fine' all the time and a big baby didn't always mean a c-section was required. "And his growth _will_ slow down."

_Don't worry! _Aimee thought._ You're not the one who has squeeze out a huge baby!_

Horatio knew that his wife was going to the doctor about her concerns and he had asked her to call him afterwards. He needed to be sure both were all right.

He was with Calleigh in the ballistics lab when his phone rang. He excused himself to answer it.

"Hey," he answered.

"Hey," Aimee replied. "I got the tests results. They found the reason for the extra weight."

"Everything okay?"

"Uh-huh. The reason is _you!_"

"What?" Horatio asked, laughing. He wasn't sure what his wife meant.

"Your son is already six pounds! The doctor said it's from your genetics."

The lieutenant smiled when he hung up the phone and reentered Calleigh's lab. He let out an audible sigh of relief. Though he hadn't wanted to think that way, it had been in the back of his mind the thought that something was wrong with Aimee or their unborn son frightened him.

"Everything okay?" Calleigh asked. She knew Aimee had been to the doctor.

"Yeah," Horatio said with a smile. "Little man's got my genes for sure. He's already six pounds."

"Ow!" Calleigh said. "Were you heavy at birth?"

"Over ten pounds."

"Whoa. Your poor mother! Aimee had what, three months left? I feel bad for her."

"And what about me?"

"What about you? It's your fault! You just admitted it."

"What's H's fault?" Eric said walking in.

Calleigh told him about Aimee and the baby's weight.

"Sorry, H. I gotta agree with Calleigh on this one, and not just because I live with her. That _is_ big. Poor Aimee." Eric didn't think Aimee Caine was all that big for a pregnant woman in her sixth month. Neither did Calleigh. "I wouldn't say this in front of H," Eric said to Calleigh when Horatio left the room. "I'm a man and even I think that entitles Aimee to give Horatio an extra few smacks in the head for that added discomfort."

"I agree. Especially as a woman," Calleigh smiled.

Aimee tried to calm her anxiety at the thought of giving birth to a large baby in three months with the knowledge her baby was healthy. That was her first priority.

_In the past two days she had really begun to feel him kick and move. Horatio's eyes had lit up when he saw a foot or a fist poking out under the skin of Aimee's round belly when the two were in the shower together._

"_Hello there, little man," he said, stroking his wife's belly_.

_Aimee smiled and kissed Horatio. Although pregnancy could be trying at times and her hormones sometimes got the better of her, her husband was always there to support and comfort her no matter when she needed him._

"_I love you," she whispered to him._

"_I love you, too. More than I can ever tell you."_

**_Please vote on my new poll!_**


	31. Fast Friends

_**Fast Friends**_

Horatio smiled on his drive home. Everyone had teased him about how he should be _really_ kissing up to Aimee for the next few months.

"Jesus, H. She must really love you," Frank joked.

Horatio had only smiled. He was just glad everything was all right.

The father-to-be squeezed her wife back when she hugged him.

"Hmm," he said, placing a soft kiss on the nape of her neck. "You still love me?"

"I suppose I do," she said, putting her head on his chest, "I have a feeling it wouldn't be easy to get rid of you," she winked.

"You got that right."

Aimee Caine and Lindsay Messer had been become fast friends since they met on the Messers' trip to Miami. The two e-mailed and called each other often and exchanged photos of the kids. Lindsay felt bad for her friend the night that Aimee called her after her doctor's appointment. Lindsay had also asked her friend to call. Earlier in the week the two had spoke and Aimee had told Lindsay about her concern about her extra weight.

"I'm sure you're all right," Lindsay tried to reassure her friend. She hoped she was right and her friend didn't have something like gestational diabetes.

Aimee called the Messers at 10:00 the night after her doctor's appointment. Danny answered and she needed talking to him for a few moments. Lindsay was putting Lydia to bed. Danny had asked about her appointment being he had felt concerned as well. Glad to know all was well with Aimee he said "you know, if ya promise to name the baby after me, I'll fly in to Miami and hold Horatio down while you beat him up. I'm not afraid of 'em I don't work for him."

Aimee laughed.

"I'll let you know about that."

_You poor woman, _Danny thought after he passed the phone to his wife. Baby Lydia weighed six pounds, five ounces at birth and he knew how bad that it had been for Lindsay.

Lindsay couldn't imagine what it was to be carrying such a large baby and have three months to go. She knew her friend and the baby would make out fine but cringed at the thought of what it might be like for Aimee giving birth.


	32. The Note

_**The Note**_

_Mac Taylor smiled at what he heard. He so had to call Horatio Caine when he got the chance. His friends and parents of his goddaughter had told the latest news on Aimee and Horatio Caine's baby boy. He laughed at what Danny said about flying to Miami. Lindsay said if that were his condition for that, then he wouldn't going anyway. The couple had decided to name the baby Austin._

_"Nice name," said Mac. _

Back in Miami with the toll being pregnant was beginning to take on Aimee's energy, in addition to the fact the pregnancy was not letting Aimee sleep much at night Horatio was making sure she had help with the children a good part of the time when he wasn't there. Though he knew his wife had been joking when she teased him about making this pregnancy much difficult Horatio did feel somewhat guilty.

He _really_ felt bad when after he heard her get up to the bathroom and she didn't come back to bed. He heard her go the living room. Horatio rose the bed and went to check on her. He found his wife prompted up in the recliner, eating a banana, a glass of milk and a yogurt was on the side table. There was a blanket over her legs and she was flipping through the channels with the tv remote.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey. What are you doing up?"

"'You okay?" Horatio asked, not answering her question.

Aimee nodded. "I just couldn't sleep. It's too uncomfortable laying down. This position is much better. Go back to bed. You gotta work in the morning. I'm fine."

Horatio kissed the top of his wife's head. When he turned and headed in the direction of the hall she thought he were going back to bed. Instead Horatio came with a blanket and a pillow from the hall closet. He laid them on the couch.

"What are you doing?" Aimee asked.

"I will go to sleep," Horatio said, "just here on the sofa."

"Horatio," Aimee sighed, shaking her head. "You don't have to stay here with me."

"I know I don't _have_ to, Aim, but I _want _to."

Again Aimee knew there was no use arguing with him even at 3 in the morning he wouldn't give in.

"I'm going to watch this _Family Guy_ Marathon. Will that bother you?"

Horatio shook his head.

Horatio opened his eyes at 5:15am and saw that his wife had _finally_ fell into a deep sleep. He stood and went to the recliner, picking her up in his arms, careful not to wake her. It bothered him that it wasn't possible for him to take the day so Aimee could rest. She couldn't take care of the girls on such little sleep. He made a mental note to call his mother-in-law at seven. He may not have been able to call in sick but he would be late to look after his daughters till Lacy arrived.

"Where's mommy?" Rachel asked at the breakfast table. It was 7:30 and daddy was usually gone to work by now.

"Mommy's sleeping. She didn't sleep well last night. Nana is coming over to take care of you guys. I'm gonna stay with you guys till she comes," Horatio answered, kissing his older daughter's head.

"I help! I watch Cheyenna for mommy, daddy!" Rachel said.

Horatio smiled at his daughter and tussled Rachel's chestnut brown hair.

"Thank you, sweetie. But you're too little for that yet."

Growling from her stomach woke Aimee at close to nine o'clock. First she heard her daughters' and her mother's voice downstairs then she thought about how she hadn't fallen asleep in bed. She glanced over at the night table. There was a folded piece of paper with her name written on it. She picked it and read the contents.

Good morning my sweet,

I didn't want to wake you. You looked so peaceful when you were asleep. No need to rush out of bed. Your mom's downstairs with the girls. I'll be home as soon as I can tonight.

Love you all

xxxxoxox

Horatio

Aimee smiled at the paper. That was her husband. He had carried her from the living room to their bedroom without her even stirring. Aimee told him _repeatedly_ not to lift and carry her while she was pregnant. She was always afraid he would injure himself. Again he would _never_ listen. Horatio didn't find his wife heavy at all. When she wasn't pregnant Aimee's weight was below the hundred pound range. Even now carrying a six pound baby at only six months pregnant, Aimee was barely 120 pounds.


	33. Gotta Love

_**Gotta Love Extended Family**_

H was coming home early feeling like he was coming down with something. He didn't feel horrible but bad enough. He couldn't be at the lab sneezing and with a runny nose. A quick trip to the drug store for some Advil Cold and Sinus was in order before he headed home. The father of two was looking forward to quality time with his daughters. Maybe he'd even take them out to the park. The fresh air would be good for them.

Aimee had swollen ankles the past week. Neither was concerned. All of her tests had come back normal. Still Horatio thought it would be nice for her to be able to put her feet up like the doctor recommended. Daddy's little girls were not home when he got there. Poppy had stopped by and wanted to take them out for lunch, a movie and then back to their house for a while. Although Aimee had thought that Cheyenna was too young for a movie theater the little girl had cried to go with her sister and Aimee's dad. Trey said he could handle things so Aimee allowed both girls to go.

The recliner was Aimee's best friend right now. That was where her husband found her.

"I knew you were sick when you left this morning," Aimee said, not even turning around, hearing Horatio come into the living room. He didn't know what it was about his wife even if he didn't make any noise when he moved she could tell when he entered a room. He smiled, went over and kissed her.

"Where's the other two?"

"With dad. He wanted to take them out to a movie and back home for a bit."

Couple time sounded good to Horatio. When he came back downstairs from changing out of his work clothes Aimee was getting out of the recliner.

"Where ya goin'?"

"Bathroom. I expect a foot massage when I return."

His wife was only joking when she said that, although she wasn't going to deny she would enjoy one. Aimee had very ticklish feet, only a handful of certified professionals could give a foot massage without risking a kick in the face. Her husband was one of only two non-professionals who could do it without risking the same. Horatio took Aimee's hand and led her to the sofa when she came back downstairs. She laughed.

"I was only _kidding_, babe," she said.

"I know," Horatio replied. "But that doesn't mean I still can't pamper you," he said, putting a cushion behind her and propping her feet up on his lap.

Aimee lay back and let herself enjoy the attention. Horatio smiled listening to her heave a relaxed sigh.

"I like this time."

"Me, too."

Horatio enjoyed playing with his daughters but it wasn't selfish for him to like to have some quiet time with his wife as well. "How's the little man, today?" he said reaching up and touching her abdomen.

"Kickin' up a storm."

Horatio chuckled softly.

Trey had a good time with his granddaughters. As it turned out the movie theater wasn't a problem for his youngest. The two were filled up with sugar from ice cream and candy prior to the movie. Cheyenna crashed as _Monsters Vs. Aliens_ started. Her sister stayed awake for the movie and munched on popcorn. She liked the movie.

"When did you get here?" his father-in-law asked when he dropped the girls off. "Did you sneeze yourself out of the lab?"

" Not long after you were here. You had impeccable timing," Horatio grinned. "I got to spoil mommy for a bit. Do you have fun, pumpkin?" He asked Cheyenna helping her take her jacket off.

Cheyenna didn't care much about missing the movie. She happily told daddy that she ate Baskin Robbins ice cream and saw a "birdie nest" with baby birds in it in poppy's backyard.

"Are you staying home, daddy?" Rachel asked.

"I am."

Rachel smiled. She liked spending time with daddy. The three-year-old couldn't wait to tell him how she saw her baby brother move inside her mommy's tummy earlier that day and how mommy put on her hand on her and let her feel it.

"It's very cool, isn't it, sweetie?" Horatio said when his daughter told him. "Mommy lets me feel that, too."

The parents hadn't told either of the girls what they had decided to name the new edition. They knew there was always the possibility they could change their minds and name the boy something different at the last minute.

"You're joking, right? How in the world did you get him to do that?"

Aimee was talking to one of her former schoolmates on the phone. Janie Tanner had also dated Aimee's brother's Andy for several years in their early teens. The two had become friends while Andy and Janie dated and remained that way despite the nasty break up Andy and she had. Janie was now engaged and the mother of six-month-old fraternal twins named Max and Olivia. "You got him to feed the kids dinner, clean the kitchen and now he's giving the kids a bath? What ya do? Promise him a sex marathon?"

Aimee laughed. "I got lucky. Some men are more trainable than others; besides look where the last marathon got me."


	34. Two Chapters: Calendar Boy & Neckties

_I have mild writer's block! The two chapters are short so I posted them altogether._

_**Kids & Cuddles**_

Horatio glanced at the calendar. He then turned his head and smiled at a very pregnant Aimee, who was sound asleep, her head in a crook of his shoulder. According to the calendar she were seven months pregnant today. The father-to-be gingerly touched his wife's very round, very expanded belly. By most people's definition she was 'huge' but in his eyes she couldn't be more beautiful.

His unborn son kicked. It was just 2 a.m., Horatio was glad to have a few more hours with his family.

"Good morning, little man," Horatio murmured softly, placing a tender kiss on the soft flesh of Aimee's belly. "It's only early. You should be sleeping."

His wife started to wake up during the daddy and baby conversation. Or rather the monologue from daddy.

"Daddy loves you, mommy and your sisters so much. He always wanted a family but I never in a million years thought I'd meet someone as wonderful as your mom. Or that she'd want to be with me; we're not exactly your typical couple. I mean, look at her. She's absolutely gorgeous. The fact she wanted to start a family with someone like me.."

"Oh, will yo_u stop_ it," Aimee cutting him off, opening her eyes.

Horatio smiled and kissed his wife.

"I believe that this was a privileged conversation, ma'am."

"Well, next time remember to put some plugs in my ears, lieutenant.

"You have to stop thinking like that," Aimee said, running her fingers through her husband's hair, kissing him passionately. _"I love you!_ You're the husband every woman would die for and the dad every child dreams of. You deserve everything you have."

"I love you," Horatio murmured, kissing her in reply.

"I love you, too," Aimee said. "And you're never getting rid of me."

_**Neckties**_

_*Flashback*_

_Horatio Caine loathed neckties. Hence, the reason for tie-less work attire. However, he and Aimee were renewing their wedding vows in an outdoor ceremony in front of their family and friends today. He couldn't wait to see his bride in her wedding grown but man, this tie was so irritating. This being such a special day, he promised Aimee he'd wear a tie._

_Ryan sighed as Horatio fidgeted with the tie yet again, moving it out of place yet again._

_"Alexx!" he called out to the woman in the next room. "We need help in here!"_

_Alexx came into the room_

_"Stop it! I said stop it!" she said, slapping Horatio's hand readjusting the tie. "Now leave it alone!"_

_"Alexx," Horatio whined. "I don't like it! It itches!"_

_"Tough!" Alexx said. "And that goes for the rest of you!" She said looking at Ryan, Eric and Frank._

_"Yes, ma'am," the three said in unison. The M.E. knew how to strike fear in the men._

_Seeing Aimee in the strapless, a-line wedding gown was more than enough to distract the __groom from the discomfort of his necktie. Tears gathered in his eyes. The boys lined up at his side smiled. Aimee was the only woman who had ever pulled so much emotion out of Horatio Caine._

_After photos and the first dance Aimee told Horatio he was welcome to remove the tie if he wanted, which he immediately did. She had whispered it in his ear while they were at the head table during the reception dinner._

_When Eric saw the interaction he said loudly, "oh jeez! You two aren't starting __**already**__!" Everyone laughed._

_They didn't know about other couples but Horatio and Aimee enjoyed the wedding kisses requested by their guests, and they were certainly looking forward to their wedding night, even if it were technically their second one._


	35. An Unusual Break

_**Warning!**__ I had to rate this chapter M because of some of the context of conversation._

_**An Usual Break**_

As unusual as it may have sounded attending prenatal class once a week was a break for them. Time for them to focus just on each other. Sure they paid enough attention. But being they knew how things went, what to do and it wasn't like they had to write a test at the end, neither paid nearly as much attention as the 'rookies' did. The expectant mother truly enjoyed the feeling of her husband's arms wrapped around her shoulders while she sat between his knees. Any tension she had been feeling rapidly left her body at the feel of the secure embrace of his arms. Horatio enjoyed the feeling of the woman he loved against the front of his body. They probably would have been scold by the nurse teaching the class if she had caught them not paying attention, Horato whispering sweet things in his wife's ear and her smiling. However this seemed to go unnoticed.

The two had long become used to being the only so-called "May-December" couple at things like this. They had attended classes like this when they were expecting Rachel but not Cheyenna. The Caines weren't the only couple there with an already big family. There was a couple there, barely in their thirties who were expecting their fourth child. The couple's other children, which included a set of identical twins, were just one and two. On the way home Aimee and Horatio joked they wondered where the couple found the time or energy, and for that couple the _privacy_, to have sex with three children so young. Having three children under the age of three, soon to be four children, was a prescription for insanity.

"_If that were our family dynamics I think you'd be riding the sofa," Aimee laughed. "And safe sex would be defined by something with batteries for me and by frequent long hot showers for you. I'd honestly start to believe what the book says is true, babies __**are **__hazards of sex "_

"_As weird as it sounds I'd probably be all right with that 'cause I'd agree with you," Horatio replied, chuckling "And did you catch the children's names? Casey, Cameron and Caitlin? I imagine their parents get tongue-tied, especially if they have to call for them."_

"_I can't even begin to imagine the number of diapers they go through and the laundry. They gotta have an industrial size washer and dryer or something."_

"_And that's only going to get worse with a newborn. I really wanted to ask just how they got the third child and this baby after they said all the children sleep with them every night. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was curious 'bout that. Even Holly, did you see her expression?"_

_Holly was the nurse teaching the class._

"_I'd say that probably used grandma or other extended family. And that one time mom gets knocked up."_

_Horatio replied jokingly "yeah, at least we get, what, three or four times, maybe five, in before the stick reads positive again?"_

This particular Wednesday night Rachel and Cheyenna were spending the night with their grandparents, giving mommy and daddy a chance to have sex without worrying whether or not they locked the bedroom door. Or having to be quiet.

Aimee's best friend Maria lived just a few houses down from where Aimee's parents did. She was the one who dropped the girls off the next morning.

"You look like, my god! Last night you two didn't.." Maria's voice trailed off when she saw a tired-looking Aimee.

The children had ran upstairs with their stuff so they didn't hear the conversation that wasn't for their little ears.

"Yeah," Aimee said, yawning. "I'm pregnant, not _dead._ And besides, it's not like I can get pregnant again. Horatio's not _that_ good."

Horatio was yawning in the breakroom, on his second cup of coffee in the slow morning.

"Kids keep you up last night?" Eric asked.

"Nope."

Frank Tripp shook his head and sighed good-naturedly.

"Ya know for two educated people, you and Aimee are a tid slow at what gets you in trouble."

Horatio feigned ignorance, slapping a hand to his forehead.

"You mean to say there's a connection between that and pregnancy? So _that's_ how it happens!"


	36. Belly Bedtime Stories

_**Omg! Check out this site! www dot makemebabies dot **__**com.**__** (you know how it's supposed to be put in. it won't let paste the link!) It's a free toolbar download, spy & adware free! It's pretty cool. If you'd like to know what your and CSI Miami character's children would look like or just what the fanfiction kids you create would look like, check it out!**_

_**Belly Bedtime Stories**_

All of Caine children started hearing bedtime stories while still in mom's belly. Aimee had found Horatio's almost hypnotic from the day they met. She enjoyed listening to his voice, even if he was reading something like_ Goodnight, Moon_ to the baby in her belly.

_"All right, buddy," Horatio said, placing a tender kiss on his wife's round belly. The red-head smiled seeing the form of the baby's foot as the he kicked his mother. "Time for sleep. Both you and mommy need your rest."_

_"Trying to get him used to a bedtime already, Daddy?" Aimee teased him._

_"Never too early," Horatio smiled._

Nobody had been at all surprised at the ease which Horatio Caine took to fatherhood. Being a father had also helped him to able to do something he hadn't done since his mother died. Look at the childhood photos of himself. He had wanted to throw these out since he could remember just to help forget his mostly horrible childhood. But somehow couldn't bring himself to do so. Maybe it was the memories and the love he still had for his late mother, Roslind. In every picture with her Horatio was smiling. Most pictures he had was just of himself. A few had his mother in them. His "father" wasn't in any of them. His daughters had been told that Horatio's father hadn't lived with them. They had yet to ask anything else about the man who was their grandfather. Looking through the photos with his oldest child that evening Horatio had remembered before he become a " total carrot top" at age four, he was blonde with just hint of red in his hair. Cheyenna's hair was starting to lighten but a hint of red. Rachel still had dark hair like Aimee but with a reddish tint. He wondered if his son would be a redheard.

Far from being an additional stressor in his life, having a family waiting at home for him soothed Horatio from the things he saw on the job. Having two small kids was _fun_. The children's wild imaginations could make him laugh till there were tears running down his face.

Cheyenna had started sleeping in her toddler bed a month ago. Or her 'big girl' bed as she called it after she heard her parents say it. She was still in diapers, being only twenty-one months old, but she also given up her bottle. After sleeping in her new bed for a week, Cheyenna had an announcement; she wanted the crib out of her room. She told her parents this at bedtime when she was tucked in.

"And where do you want mommy and daddy to put it?" Aimee asked.

"Over 'dere," Cheyenna said, sitting up and pointing across the hall to the room that was to be Austin's nursery. "Baby bed, baby room."

"Are you sure?" Her dad asked. "You don't want us to keep it here?"

_"No!"_ Cheyenna said, shaking her head fiercely.

Frank was telling Ryan and Horatio how the evening prior he had stopped to change a tire for a young woman. It was still blistering hot outside even though it was close to seven in the evening. The woman he hadn't minded. In fact he had found her quite attractive but the woman had her three pet Yorkies in the back of the car who didn't cease "yapping" the whole time Frank was there. The detective said he didn't know how he didn't "frickin' strangle" the dogs.

"Careful there, Frank. You might end up marryin' that woman," Horatio teased his friend."and if she got dogs, they're usually part of the package."

Aimee hadn't had any pets but Horatio knew she wouldn't have parted with any just for him.

"Oh yeah. That's how you and Aimee met," Frank said.

Horatio nodded. "So if you see this woman at a restuarant in three weeks, fate might have a surprise in store for ya."


	37. Just Like Daddy

_**Just Like Daddy, Maybe**_

_Earlier the same evening from the previous chapter...._

"Well _I_ think you were a cute lil' redhead," Aimee told her husband. "And I hope you know better by now to argue with a pregnant woman."

They were looking at Horatio's childhood photos together after both their daughters were in bed. Aimee's eyes were particularly attracted to a professional portrait of a smiling four-year-old Horatio. Her husband didn't notice.

Horatio scoffed but smiled. He did know better.

"I'll give you that it was my cuter days," he said. "That was one of mom's favorite pictures, too."

Aimee hadn't ever pried at Horatio to share much, if any of his childhood memories, good or bad, with her. But he had shared a few of both with her.

_"I remember when this was taken," he shared with his wife for the first time. "He had just left and was going to be away for a whole two weeks. After that we went out and got ice cream. I got chocolate ice cream all over my new clothes and we both laughed about it and didn't worry 'cause he wasn't waiting at home to see it when we got there. He never found out about the ice cream 'cause mom was able to get all of the stains out. He never did like this picture. 'Said I looked 'goofy.'" _

"He" of course was Horatio's father, Roy Caine.

Aimee kissed Horatio's cheek.

"You love her very much and she loves you. I bet she's be proud of you, babe."

Aimee spoke in the present because she believed you didn't stop loving a person because they died and that person didn't cease to love you. She could say she felt that way for her late paternal grandmother, the only close relative of hers to die in her life.

Horatio smiled softly. "She was a great lady."

Horatio knew he wasn't his father and he was giving his children the kind of life, home and affection that he hadn't received from his mother's husband. Although he definitely could be firm with his children, he had never once raised his hand or his voice to them. And never would. He never wanted to instill the kind of fear he felt as a boy.

During every pregnancy Aimee wondered what the child she was carrying looked like. The thought seemed to occur to her more often in the later months. Part of her hoped their son would be as Eric Delko had put it, a "mini H"

_**Let's play a game! Who can find a line in this story from a CSI: Miami episode?**_


	38. Family Man

_**I'm a family man...and I love every minute of it!**_

_Rated __**M**__ for some conversational content!_

It really annoyed Horatio Caine when people stared when he was out with Aimee and their children, or just the children that at times he found people looking and making whispered comments about his age and having young children, some even making comments about a pregnant Aimee.

One time a man around the same age had the gall to come over when the family was out for breakfast when Aimee and the girls went to the restroom and say that Horatio had a "pretty lady" but raising small kids at this age must be a "pain in the ass."

_"Both of them are cute," the man said of Rachel and Cheyenna. "But after the first mistake I'd think someone this age would learn their lesson."_

_Neither of Horatio's girls was a 'mistake.'_ Granted, _Rachel had just been a 'surprise' being the couple wanted children but weren't trying to conceive at the time. And __**if**__ he had thought having Rachel was a 'mistake,' Horatio would have got himself "snipped" to make sure Aimee didn't get pregnant a second, let alone a third time as she was now. Before Horatio could give a curt reply of the suggestion that man turn around and walk away, the woman the man had been dining with, from the way the two had been interacting Horatio thought the woman had to be the man's relative, maybe his sister walked over took the man's arm, Horatio could see she drug her nails into him. She had a furious expression on her face. _

_"I apologize for him, sir," the woman said. "My brother should know better. C'mon, Myles." she said through gritted teeth._

_Horatio had been right about the relationship. He nodded to the woman. A gesture to accept her apology._

Anytime someone commented to Aimee about having an older husband and especially at times when they added something her being pregnant for a third time she'd have to bite her tongue being she wanted to say "yeah, but he's _great_ in bed! And he doesn't need the little blue pill!" just to shock them and shut them up. Some of Aimee's close friends joked to her Horatio _must_ be good in bed if she were pregnant yet again. Aimee didn't mind, she laughed at that.

Someone had even asked Horatio's _mother-in-law_, yes, Lacy, how good, or bad, Aimee's sex life must be with a husband fifteen years her senior.

"It must be pretty good," Lacy had replied. " She got a four-year-old, a two-year-old and she's pregnant again!"

The phrase "age is nothing but a number" applied to Horatio Caine in many ways.

**_If you said there was a line 'she was a great lady' and it was from "Under Suspicion" in this chaoter you were right! Pat yourself on the back, you know your CSI: Miami!_**


	39. Anybody know?

_I'm __**looking**__ for__ a fanfiction story called __**Slaughterhouse**__. Based on the episode, in the story I think Horatio was Speedle's father or father-in-law. Eric is married with pregnant wife and a six-year-old stepdaughter. __**Can anyone help me?**_

_**A new chapter of the "Family Life" Series will up today!**_


	40. Baby Shower in Blue

_**Baby Shower in Blue**_

Natalia, Alexx and Calleigh sat in the break room during their lunch talking about the baby shower that the were planning for their boss and his wife. They had asked Lacy's mother if she had minded them planning this shower since the grandma-to-be had planned the others. Lacy didn't mind giving up the reins, she was still involved. She was going to do most of the cooking for the party.

_"Knowing those two," she joked to Alexx "I'm sure there will be another one after this anyway!"_

_Alexx laughed and said she agreed._

A patrol officer had teased Horatio that morning about him and Aimee "working so quick."

"Well, when ya get a late start, ya gotta work fast," Horatio chuckled.

Even though it had been five years since Horatio had met Aimee and his life had changed. Still whenever his co-workers got the chance they talked about the difference in Horatio since the emptiness in his life had been filled. They never knew the man could _smile_ so much and so big. His eyes danced and lit up at the mere mention of Aimee, their children and the baby boy on the way.

"Either one of them tell you if they had a name for the little fella?" Calleigh asked the other women.

"Horatio said they were pretty sure on a name but they're not saying just they change their minds when he's born, if he 'looks like something else,'" Alexx said.

"I knew it's definitely not going to be junior. Aimee's adamant about that. I asked her about that a few months ago. 'Said she always hated the whole 'junior' thing. Not to mention Horatio said he would "_never, repeat, never"_ give a child that name."

Calleigh laughed. "He said that?"

"Yeah and he was quite passionate about it."

Both Rachel and Cheyenna had their own rooms. Austin would have his own room as well. At some point the parents planned to move the two girls in together but they figured moving the 21-month-old girl into the new room with a brand new baby arriving in the house very soon would be too stressful. It wasn't like they needed to do for space reasons. The nursery was almost ready for the baby. The crib and other furniture set up. The bassinet, that could be easily moved from place to place because it had wheels was now the master bedroom at foot of the bed.

Even though this baby was their third child the couple were still beyond excited. Both knew there were people who were less excited during subsequent pregnancies but definitely were _not_ in that club. They tried not to judge. Rachel was _very_ excited about her brother, Cheyenna was too though maybe a bit less because she didn't understand as much. The baby would be approximately six weeks old by the time his oldest sister's fourth birthday came giving mom and dad time to breathe before planning a party of a little girl. They were determined to make the day just as big and special for the birthday girl as they would have if they didn't have a new baby in the house. None of the team, or Aimee's best friend or mother were surprised that that was the couple's goal . However with a new baby in the house, there was going to be a lot more things going on. They all offered to help out; whether it was looking after "the little fella" so Aimee could spend some time with the girls or plan something for the birthday party or helping out by doing something in preparation for the day.


	41. How Long More?

_**How Long More?**_

The detail of the 3-D sonagram print amazed Eric Delko. He could see the unborn child had his father's mouth. Maybe there was a mini H on the way after all.

"How long more, H?" He asked his boss.

"Six weeks till the date the doctor gave Aimee but you know it could be longer, or sooner." Horatio laughed. "I'm hearing 'how long more, daddy?' from Rachel every night now. She even asked if she could be in the room when he was born."

Eric smiled.

"What did you tell her?"

"'Said the doctor told us she was too young."

"Well, you might not be wrong. Some doctors don't allow siblings in the labor room, or the hospital has a policy against it. You can blame the hospital and make them 'the bad guy' if she gets really mad."

"Good idea. 'Didn't think about that.

"So when you and Calleigh gonna have a baby?" Horatio inquired bluntly.

"_What?"_ Eric asked, taken back by the question.

"_C'mon Eric!_ It's no secret that you want children and so does Calleigh. And not to mention before you two were able to come out with it, yours and Calleigh's relationship was the worst kept secret in Miami. The notion that you two were just roommates, or just roommates with benefits was laughable."

Eric smiled. "Were we that bad at it?"

"Afraid so. But tt wasn't like we were gonna tell IAB on ya," Horatio replied. "Everyone I talked to said it were about time. But you're avoiding my question, when are you two going to have a baby? And don't give me that 'well, we'd have to be married first' bull. Your mother might be of the old school but you're not. Don't forget Rachel was five months old before Aimee and I got married."

Eric and Calleigh were witnesses, along with Rachel Caine when her parents were officially married in a judge's chambers. Rachel watched from Calleigh's arms.

"Right. I forget about that. I'll have to talk to Calleigh about the baby calender."

Eric wondered if his friend and boss knew something he wasn't saying after the older man left the trace lab. Horatio was right; Eric's mother may have thought the two "_had_" to get married to have a baby but he and Calleigh didn't. His girlfriend had started taking prenatal vitamins in advance four months prior. They had started "trying" three months ago. Contrary to what the young CSI thought, Horatio knew nothing.

Yet.

Horatio Caine had a full head of strawberry blonde hair at birth. His hair started to turn color at age of three and by age four he was "a total carrot top." The relentless teasing he received was only made a small bit easier by the fact he fortunately didn't have freckles to go along with the red hair. In his primary school years his teachers thought his red hair was "adorable." His schoolmates not so much so. The father-to-be hoped for the boy's sake that the new baby would inherit his mother's dark hair or if he were born a strawberry blonde he'd stay that way.

_If not,_ Horatio pondered, _I suppose I'll be able to sympathize with him._

The lieutenant came to two pieces of news that evening; one being especially thrilling. Aimee had been to the doctor that day and after a thorough exam and sonagram, the doctor moved the patient's due date up by a week.

"_Really? That's great!_" Horatio said, wrapping his wife in a big hug and kissing her passionately. His right hand tenderly stroked Aimee's extended belly. "We're gonna get to see you sooner than we thought, little man," he said, planting a kiss on where his third child was growing.

"And in other news, I don't think she saw me, but guess who I saw leaving the doctor's office today?"

"Who?" Horatio said as he held his wife to the couch by the hand.

"Calleigh," Aimee said, sitting down.

"Really?"

"Yeah. They had me waiting in exam room three and she must have been further the hall. The door was partly open and I saw her walking down the hall, talking to the nurse. I didn't get to all of their conversation, too many people talking in the hall to my disappoint but I did clearly hear Calleigh say she didn't need prenatal vitamins 'cause she were already taking them."

"Hm," Horatio replied. "Time to start poking at Mr. Delko more." he told his wife about his blunt inquiry about a Duquesne-Delko baby.

"Well, I'm glad that I could provide you with further information," Aimee laughed.


	42. The Mission

_**The Mission**_

Yesterday he had been snooping and just _happened_ to get information.

Today Horatio Caine was a man on fact-finding mission, thanks to "intel" from his pregnant wife. Of course, considering the nature of the mission his target would have to be alone. And he was as Horatio stepped into the trace lab, quietly closing the door behind him.

_Target: Eric Delko. First-time father-to-be. _

_Background mission information:_ _knows of pregnancy. Said girlfriend, fellow CSI Calleigh Duquesne had informed the lieutenant of her condition when she had asked to speak to Horatio earlier that morning. She said her boyfriend knew and was excited as well. However, boyfriend Eric Delko, though grinning like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland the entire morning hadn't said anything to anybody. The whole lab knew of the pregnancy though. The women being able to read her and the mom-to-be being so excited._

"You're not here 'bout a case, are you?" Eric asked, the grin still on his face as soon as he saw Horatio.

"Nope. I'm here to offer my congratulations. Or should I be congratulating the mailman or the pizza boy?" Horatio joked.

Eric pretended to think. "Well, I've been told it's me but I'll have to let you know in a few months," he said before he laughed.

"Well, congratulations, Eric," Horatio said, shaking Eric's hand. "You're gonna find even the next months an especially wonderful bonding experience."

"Thanks H. I guess we'll all be congratulating you in the next little while and get to meet your boy."

"Yeah. And you can move that up a bit. The doctor moved Aimee's due date ahead by a week yesterday," then Horatio took the time to explain Aimee had seen Calleigh at the OB/GYN's office.

"Awesome. So, we were busted before this morning," Eric replied. "Can't get away with anything, can we?"

"How far along is Calleigh?"

"'Bout six weeks. She's going for an ultrasound on Tuesday to get a more precise date."

"Take a few hours. Go to that with her," Horatio said immediately. "It's an incredible experience every time."

"Thanks, H."


	43. Advice REVISED

_**Advice from Someone with Experience**_

Calleigh was definitely going to be talking to Alexx Woods about pregnancy advice. Calleigh wasn't sure what gave Alexx more of an "edge," being a doctor or having have given birth to two children herself. It was a given she was also going to talk to Aimee Caine.

Calleigh and Eric hoped to have more than one child and planned to have them close together. Aimee Caine could absolutely tell her how she kept up with a preschooler and a toddler while being pregnant. Alexx's children were close to five years apart. Calleigh hoped her family with Eric would be similar to the Caines. Both fathers-to-be had to work late the day Calleigh found out of her pregnancy. She dropped over to see Aimee and the girls and chatted with Aimee. Calleigh had a time holding back her laughter when she was Aimee that she had heard Horatio tell that Rachel had recently asked her dad how babies got into mommies' tummies and how _he_ was struck trying to answer her after he said "ask your mom," and Rachel replied "I did. She told me to ask you." You two don't play that game when it comes to difficult questions, do you?"

"Yes, we do," Aimee said simply. "And we were both hoping to get that question first so we could deflect it."

"That's so... _immature!" _

It cracked Calleigh up some times how playful Horatio and his wife could be with each other.

"So?" Aimee said smiling. "Just 'cause you got kids doesn't mean you have to be mature all the time. That would be so _boring!_ Besides, we normally only do it as a form of revenge. He pissed me off that evening."

"What did he do?"

"Took a can of Pepsi Max from away from me, the last one in the house. He's lucky I didn't give him a black eye!"

"Right. That caffeine thing. Eric started on that the moment I had the two words out of my mouth. I'm not sure how he's going to survive this pregnancy the first time he takes my morning coffee from me!"

"And a few more weeks I'll be able to help you move the body."

Both women laughed.

Daddy of two (soon to-be three) Horatio was telling first time daddy-to-be Eric about "the question" from Rachel and how he got stuck with it.

"I told Rachel I'd tell her after her bath and _you know_ I wasn't so lucky for her to forget. I told Aimee I'm _so_ getting her back for that and she just stuck her tongue out at me."

Eric laughed.

"You two can be like children you know. Whaddya do to make Aimee toss that question at ya?"

"I think it was when I took a can of Pepsi Max away from her. Told her a few more weeks she can have all the caffeine she wants. But not now."

"Ow. That's like taking caffeine from Calleigh. Risky business."

Horatio told Eric although at times pregnancy was trying on the partner's patience, it was a wonderful thing to experience together. Showing empathy was the most important thing. Even though it "took two to tango" the husband was a party to the condition and the mom would be feeling or going through what she was physically, mentally and emotionally if it wasn't for him. Horatio admitted to Eric that he almost cried the first time Aimee put his palm on her belly and he felt Rachel kick.

"Don't get me started on seeing them be born." Horatio was not at all embarrassed to admit, to anyone he "_completely_ bawled" his eyes out at his daughters' births. He had no doubt in his mind he was going to be the same when his third child came into the world. In more regards to pregnancy Horatio said "I think not knowing it consciously and even after I was told she would need them I was hugging and kissing Aimee a whole lot more. The last thing it felt was forced. We both found ourselves enjoying it more than we thought."

Eric didn't know that Calleigh had been over to see Aimee. Both laughed heartedly talking about "the question" story.

"One of these days we're gonna be over there and one of the girls are gonna tell mom and dad they need a time-out," Calleigh laughed.

Aimee didn't tell Calleigh that when she and Horatio went to bed that night, when Horatio tried to put his arm around his wife she playfully pouted "don't touch me. You're a big meany!"


	44. Three More Weeks

_**Three More Weeks! **_

Aimee sighed heavily as she tried to swing her legs around and tried to stand up from the couch. It was one of those days she was sick of being pregnant. It was still three more weeks till her recently revised due date. Having her husband today was a relief. Not only was it was nice to have him around for her but she enjoyed hearing Cheyenna play with her dad.

"That was a heavy sigh," Horatio said, entering the room. "Need some help, my darling?" He took her hands and carefully pulled her to her feet.

"Thank you," she said, kissing his cheek.

"No problem, babe. I'm gonna go and pick the other lil' munchkin up from school and get the stuff for dinner. I'll take Cheyenna with me. You want anything?"

Aimee shook her head.

As hard as being pregnant was her today Aimee told herself she was most likely having an easier time than Calleigh would in just a few months. Two weeks prior, the doctor had detected not one but _two_ heartbeats.

Twins.

It was too early to tell the genders or the type of twins they were having. But that didn't stop the couple from being ecstatic. And they had every reason in the world to be, Horatio and Aimee thought. However it was going to be interesting to see how the couple were going to adjust to having _two_ newborns in the house, especially as first-time parents. Even if Aimee only had _one_ infant (their baby son would be six months old then) at home, with a toddler and a preschooler as well, both would be able to relate to parental chaos, however joyous it was.

Her being just weeks from giving birth Horatio was adamant with Aimee that she not bathe the girls, being she had lift them in and out of the tub. That wasn't only because of the possibility of her injuring herself but he want her using what little energy she had needlessly. He would do it when he got home and if it was too late a dirty face never killed anyone. The first few days he asked this of her, Aimee ignored her husband. She wasn't sure exactly why, maybe it was because she thought Horatio should just be able to enjoy the remainder of the day with their daughter or maybe it was just her stubborn streak, wanting to prove she could still look after all of the children's needs while so close to giving birth again.

Right away she discovered that Rachel and Cheyenna viewed _any_ time with daddy as quality time. She smiled at the sound of their dual giggles when Horatio was giving them a bubble bath. The girls would run to their bedrooms to pick out their pajamas when Horatio told them he was filling the bathtub. They liked the independence of being able to pick out their clothes. By nine p.m. she had a some "me time" and now the kids were asleep and Horatio was all hers.

"You're an incredible dad, you know," she said, snuggling into him when he settled next to her in bed. "They adore you. And I adore my husband."

After his wife fell asleep, Horatio's mind drifted back to when his and Aimee's relationship started to become serious at three months.

_She knew some of his troubled past then but not all of it, as much as he had never felt some much for any other woman before, Horatio was terrified that if she got to know __everything__ about him and his past that she wouldn't love him. Aimee sensed that when he started to give very obvious scared reactions when he thought she was going to find out deeper secrets from his youth. _

"_You think if I got to know you that I wouldn't love you," she said taking his hands into hers, looking into his eyes. "that's not the case and even if it was, please let me be the judge," she said, kissing him softly._

_Horatio shallowed hard, trying to shallow the emotion building up inside. But it didn't work; a single tear spilled down his cheek._

_"Okay," he whispered._

Horatio Caine was definitely not a music expert but when he heard the song "Halo" by Beyonce months before they started planning the ceremony to renew their wedding vows he wanted it played for their first dance. Aimee was intrigued when Horatio asked if he minded if he picked out the song—and kept it surprise till the moment.

She let him figuring it would be something very special.

And it was. She bawled when it started to play at the reception.


	45. The Birth: Part I

_**The Birth: Part I**_

_A Long Chapter for you! Rated M for language!_

Aimee had sighed looking at her hugely pregnant figure in the full-length mirror. For the life of her, she couldn't figure _how_ her doting husband still found her beautiful , let alone _sexy_. But he did. Horatio was too convincing for her _not_ to believe him, especially since the last time they had made love was the night before. Three weeks must have been just a ballpark figure for the time left in her pregnancy. Aimee started to have contractions mid-morning that quickly become regular, just seven days later.

Horatio was at a crime scene when his phone rang. It was his father-in-law, Trey. Aimee was in labor. He and Lacy were about to leave for thehospital with her. Maria was with Cheyenna. Rachel was still at preschool.

"What?" The shock appearing on his face when he answered. "Yeah. I'll meet you guys there. Thank you, Trey."

"What is it, H?" Eric said concerned, seeing the look on his friend's face. "Aimee?"

"Yeah. Hmm. Eric, can you take over here? I have to go," a tiny smile coming to his face.

"No problem, H. Just concentrate on Aimee and that baby. Things are under control here.

"Give him a ride, would ya?" Eric said to an officer in uniform.

"Lights and siren," the officer nodded.

For the brief time they were with their daughter in the hospital Lacy and Trey had a difficult time seeing her in pain. Labor appeared to be excruciating painful and they were at a loss of what to do for her. They were relieved when Horatio arrived as Aimee was being taken to a private room. Aimee had snapped at both a nurse and her mother when each tried to help her out of her clothing and into a hospital gown.

_"Don't touch me!"_ She had hissed as she was standing up, gripping the side of the bed.

The nurse was unfazed by Aimee's behaviour. She had been doing this for nearly 20 years and had give birth twice herself. She could genuinely sympathize with the patient; this _was_ painful. The nurse also knew that the arrival and presence of the husband often had a very calming effect on the mother. The woman also knew personally knew Aimee and Horatio and the exceptionally soothing effect he had on his wife.

"I got it," Horatio told his in-laws quietly when he entered the room. He walked over and gave her a big hug. She buried her face in his shoulder. "Shh. It's all right, sweetheart, you're okay. Let's get you changed and let the nurse have a look at you, all right?"

Aimee nodded.

Her parents left the room so the nurse and Horatio could help out of her clothing and the nurse could examine her.

"I'm sorry," Aimee said to the woman when she was in a gown and resting on the bed before the nurse put on gloves to check her progress.

"Oh, don't you apologize, honey," the nurse replied. "I've done this twice myself. I know exactly how you feel."

Aimee was three centimetres dilated so far. Too soon for an epidural. Aimee was on two minds about getting one this time; in her experience they hurt like hell getting one and _if _it took, it wore off way too soon. And that was _if_ it took at all. But she wasn't exactly keen on the idea of unmediated childbirth either.

No matter what Horatio was going to be at her side.

"We'll take it one contraction at a time, sweetheart," Horatio whispered to her, stroking her forehead.

_Miami-Dade Crime Lab_

The place was abuzz. When Eric and Ryan had returned minus Horatio, Calleigh had a good idea where he was but she was excited to hear to hear the news.

"Oh, how exciting!" She said. She, like everybody else was hoping Horatio would call and give someone an update.

_Dade Memorial Hospital_

Things were going slow. Aimee had been in labor for six hours and was only four centimetres dilated. She had received an epidural. And she wasn't at all surprised that a) it hurt like a bitch to get it and b) it was "fuckin' useless," meaning it didn't take. The doctor had removed the epidural catheter and told Aimee he could try another one in an hour if that was what was what Aimee wanted.

_Miami-Dade Crime Lab_

Lacy was so upset by hearing her child's cries of pain in the background when talking to Horatio, she called Alexx Woods who was still on duty at the lab. Alexx had to remember although Lacy was Aimee's mother, the woman hadn't given birth. Alexx cringed when she was told that Aimee's epidural hadn't taken.

"Unfortunately, that happens sometimes," The M.E. explained, feeling a ton of sympathy for Aimee, knowing personally what labor was like. "She's in good hands, Lacy. And Horatio is there. Don't worry."

Ryan had come to the morgue just as she was finishing up the call.

"Was that Aimee's mom?" Ryan asked. "What's going on? Everything's going okay?"

Alexx told the update that Horatio given his mother-in-law, telling him to let everyone know when he left the morgue.

"Ouch," Ryan said, making a face. "Poor girl."

_The Caine Home_

Rachel and Cheyenna Caine were bouncing off the walls with excitement waiting for news of their baby brother. Maria, Aimee's best friend was still there helping out with the girls. Really the adults were just as excited as the children.

_Dade Memorial Hospital_

On the suggestion of the nurse, Aimee had tried the pool to relieve her pain. She had been willing to try anything. She didn't want to try an epidural again, yet. But the pool hadn't worked either. She was now getting _some_ relief on her hands and knees on the bed, Horatio rubbing the small of her back.

Inside it was killing him to see in some much pain even if it was for a reason. Still he was calm.

"You doing great, sweetheart," Horatio whispered to Aimee, moving a strand of hair from her face. "I'm so proud of you." He instinctively seemed to know when she wanted ice, and fed her more ice chips.

The two still more waiting left.

_**Sorry for the suspense! The new baby will be here in the next chapter! :)**_


	46. The Birth: Part II

_**The Birth: Part II**_

By the time shift was over, there was no news of the new baby. Eric and Calleigh were driving home, both feeling more sympathy for their friend by the moment. Calleigh suggested that they pick up dinner and go over to visit the Caine girls for a bit.

"Sounds like a plan," Eric said. "I'm in the mood for fried chicken, mashed potatoes and a milkshake."

That was the girls' favorite dish from a local restaurant.

"Sounds like poor Lacy is going to give herself an ulcer knowing what Aimee's labor is like," Calleigh said. "Trey might take her for a drive or somethin'."

_Dade Memorial Hospital_

The nurse who came on for the second shift was Holly. The one who taught the couple's prenatal class. Finally, after eleven hours and forty-five minutes, Aimee was fully dilated and ready to push. She had foregone the second epidural, now she had no other option but natural childbirth. Considering the fact the baby was going to be large, the doctor was going to do this delivery. Horatio didn't mind, wanting only what was best for Aimee and the baby.

As the head of the bed was being raised so Aimee sit up more and her feet were put in stirrups Nurse Holly mentioned to the doctor how Aimee became more relaxed when her husband held her, as she seemed tense and needed to be as relaxed as possible to have her baby. Horatio was all too glad to hold his wife and got behind her. He nodded when he was told to help Aimee lean forward and hold her legs when she had a contraction. Telling him to encourage her was a no-brainer.

The doctor was surprised in spite of herself seeing how visibly relaxed Aimee become when her husband held her. She was watching them out of the corner of her eye as the room was being set up.

"You're doing wonderful, honey," Horatio whispered to his wife. "I know you can do this. Just rest for a few minutes."

Aimee leaned her head back into Horatio's body. Horatio stroked the side of her head, kissing the temple on the opposite side of her head. Aimee whimpered. She was exhausted and every part of her body was beginning to ache. She just wanted this over. She wanted to be holding their son. The doctor had said the pressure she were feeling in her pelvic region was a good thing. That meant the baby's head was low and the delivery shouldn't take long. Aimee was hoping for that, too. Horatio was hoping for it, just as much, maybe even more. Seeing her in pain like this was killing him.

_The Caine Home_

Eric and Calleigh were glad they had dropped over to the The Caine home. They were right; the girls were off their heads with excitement and poor Lacy still seemed ill about her daughter, even though she had been assured that what was happening with Aimee was normal. And oh yeah, the girls had little interest in the PB & J sandwiches Maria had made them for dinner. But they seemed happy to eat their favorite kids' meals with milkshakes.

While the children were happily eating in the kitchen and Trey and Lacy were gone for a drive, Trey with his cellphone on, Maria chatted with Horatio's co-workers in the living room. They were now as bad as the kids; all three and most likely Trey had received a text message from Horatio saying "_it won't be long!_" All knew that meant Aimee must have started pushing.

_Dade Memorial Hospital_

7:45pm.

Three people were crying; a woman, a man and a newborn baby still covered in fluid.

Horatio buried his face in his wife's neck from behind her, his tears touching Aimee's skin as she held their wailing newborn still attached to the umbilical cord to her bare chest. His wife's body was still shaking from the pain and exertion of pushing the baby out. "You're all right," he whispered. "You did great. I'm right here. I've got you. I'm so proud of you!" Moments before the baby was out the nurse had asked Aimee if she wanted to remove her gown so her baby could have skin-to-skin contact on her chest upon birth. Holding her newborn close now she was glad she hadn't been so modest to say no. It had taken twelve hours and forty minutes but Horatio and Aimee were finally officially the parents of a little boy. "I love you. You were great," Horatio whispered to her. "He's perfect."

Austin Matthew Caine was indeed a copy of his father. He had a full head of strawberry blonde hair and very blue eyes. He had yet to be weighed but he was a large baby. Horatio got to cut the cord before the nurse she was going to weigh the newborn and give him eyedrops, diaper and swaddle him. She told Aimee she would bring him right back. The baby let out a louder cry when taken away from his mother's chest.

"It's okay, sweetie," the nurse cooed. "We'll only be a minute. Do you want daddy to come with you?"

Aimee looked at Horatio and smiled. He kissed her forehead . Horatio carefully sled out from behind his wife and followed the nurse. His eyes were still breaming with happy tears.

"Hey Austin, buddy," Horatio said, kissing the baby's head, when the baby was laid down to be weighed. "Shh. It's okay. Daddy's here. She's not going to hurt you. She's just gonna see how big you are and wrap you in a nice blanket then we'll go back to mommy."

Horatio could barely believe how much his son resembled his own newborn photos.

The number on the digital scale came up.

9.3 lbs.

Austin weighed only a pound less than Horatio had at birth. Aimee had been pleasantly surprised and _very_ glad despite Austin's size she hadn't tore and hadn't had to have an episiotomy. Horatio quickly snapped a picture on the swaddled newborn using his cellphone before picking him up.

7:57pm.

A text message flashed across Eric's, Calleigh's, Maria's and Trey's cellphones;

_Meet Austin Caine!_

_9 Pounds, 3 ounces_

_Born 7:45pm_

The picture of Austin followed.

Maria excitedly called out to the girls and they ran in when they heard there was message from daddy at the hospital.

"_Wow!"_ Rachel said. She couldn't believe she were seeing a picture of her baby brother.

The home phone rang not five minutes later. It was Horatio.

"Hey new daddy," Maria said answering the phone.

"You got my message," Horatio smiling on the other end. "Isn't he beautiful?"

"He sure is. How's mommy's doing?"

"She's exhausted but she's great. She did incredible. She and Austin are about to take their first snooze together."

Aimee was in a fresh gown and Austin was in her arms. The two were just resting together on the bed. Horatio talked to both the girls. Telling them that their baby brother was very cute and what he looked like. If Horatio hadn't called before their bedtimes with the news, getting them to go to bed and go to sleep was going to be a monumental task. But daddy told them that if they got into bed and went to sleep that in the morning they could come to the hospital and meet Austin.

It worked.

Horatio hoped even if the girls met Austin in the hospital in the morning that he could have his wife and baby son home by the same evening.

_**Hope everyone liked the chapters on the new arrival! R & R!**_


	47. Bringing Home Baby

_**Note to CSI: Miami producers, if his full-time departure is about contracts, **__**get your heads out of your ass and give Adam appropriate contract so we viewers get "Eric" back full time**__**! My opinion (just to share with other viewers,) I don't think Adam has the what I call the "David Caruso Syndrome" and wants to be a *Movie Star,* or I hope he doesn't. Granted, he has been doing movies lately but it seems to be not only "small" (not-so popular) movies and he seems to have minor roles and has still been in CSI Miami full-time during the filming (unlike a certain co-star who thought he were too good to do both.) The show will suffer without the character of Eric Delko. **_

_**Anyway, no matter happens, Eric Delko will **__**remain a full-time employee at the Miami-Dade crime lab**__** in author's fanfiction!**_

_**Bringing Home Baby **_

Much to his parents' delight, Austin was able to come home just before noon the next day. The new big sisters didn't have to go to the hospital. Cheyenna liked her new brother but was more happy that she could sit in her mom's lap now that Aimee's pregnant belly was no longer in the way. Aimee understood her little girl's feelings. Cheyenna was a mommy's girl. Even though she were fast becoming a toddler she wouldn't be two years old for eight weeks. Her birthday was two weeks after her sister's fourth. Rachel on the hand, was totally in love. Despite the new baby, there were two separate birthday parties in the works. A handful of people had told the parents since the girls were still so young, the dates were so close together and there was so much work involved in planning two parties, with the new baby and all, why didn't they just have one party? One mother from Rachel's preschool said "I'm sure they wouldn't mind. They probably wouldn't even know the difference."

Horatio was offended and promptly disagreed. The woman's comment made it seem like children were stupid; they weren't. Rachel and Cheyenna not only two individuals but a party for a two-year-old was much different then a party for a four-year-old and vice vera. Plus Cheyenna wanted an _Abby Cadabby_ party and Rachel wanted a _Dora the Explorer _party. Both wanted character-theme treasure hunts and pinatas.

Aimee was one of the few women that once she gave birth though some weight might have yet to drop off she could immediately fit back into her pre-pregnancy clothes. Aimee figured that she was just lucky. Without a baby growing inside her, her body was used to being a certain weight. It was one less thing she had to worry about postpartum now that she had three children.

Austin had now been home for two days and his mother was chatting with Lindsay Monroe on the phone. Horatio had sent pictures of Austin to them a few hours after the birth.

"What's life like with a little boy in the mix now?" Lindsay asked.

"It's great," Aimee replied. "And for all we were told 'bout the differences, the only difference is being very careful when changing him," she chuckled.

"How are the girls taking to Austin?"

"Cheyenna is leaning towards liking him but she's not sure yet. Rachel's in love. She picks out his clothes for me every morning. It's sweet."

"And Horatio is even more beside himself," Lindsay said, knowing how much Horatio already loved his girls. "I can tell by the pictures."

Aimee smiled. "Yes. He is."

"Is that him?" Lindsay asked hearing a gurgle.

Austin was in his mother's arms while she was talking.

"Yeah. He's saying hi to you."

Horatio made sure he still gave time to the girls. In the evenings, while Aimee was feeding Austin Horatio would bathe the girls and read them their bedtime story. Near the end of story time Austin would be asleep and Aimee would tuck the girls in too. The newborn would sleep for almost three hours after his 7:30pm feeding.


	48. Little Man

_I'm trying to equally update all my stories! Here's another Caine Family installment!_

_**Little Man Caine**_

As much as they enjoyed watching their children grow Horatio and Aimee knew to savor the newborn stage as well, as demanding as they could be. Horatio had always enjoyed the 3:00am quality time with his children as newborns.

"Hey little man," Horatio whispered to his three-day-old son. The boy had his fingers in his mouth. "Are you hungry? C'mon, daddy'll get you your bottle."

Horatio picked up his son and carried him downstairs. Austin began to fuss more while his milk was heating in the bottle warmer.

"Okay. Okay," Horatio said softly after he checked the temperature to make sure it wasn't too hot or cold. "There you go."

Horatio sat down the recliner and smiled at the eagerly eating newborn who was still pink around the ears, hands and feet. When his each of his daughters were born he had denied either looked much like him at all but there was no way he could do that with Austin. Horatio heaved a happy sigh with the feeling his son hugging into his bare shoulder after he burped him.

"You may look just like me, but you and your sisters got your mom's love of sleep.," he said, kissing the side of Austin's head, standing up.

Upstairs Austin slept through his dad changing his diaper and placing him back in his bassinet. Aimee started to wake when Horatio back into bed.

"What'd I miss? Does he wanna eat?" She said groggily.

"Go back to sleep," Horatio said, kissing her cheek. "It's already done."

Aimee lay back down and Horatio wrapped his arms around his wife. The guilt that he had for putting his wife though the long and painful birth of their son was finally beginning to subside. His wife told him repeatedly from the second their son was born that he had nothing to apologize for. He had no control the process of childbirth and she knew if her husband could have come up with some magical remedy to make it painless, he would have. Horatio had done the one thing he could, he stayed at her side, refusing to leave her for a single moment.

Horatio was glad to let his wife catch up on her rest while he was home. Getting comfortable enough to have a decent sleep the three weeks she were pregnant was nearly impossible. She definitely needed to get her rest now because after three weeks he was back at work full-time and she would be on her own all day with three small children.

Horatio awoke to a poke to his nose at 7:15am. He smiled through a yawn seeing Cheyenna standing there, her favorite stuffed animal, a brown bunny named "boo" in hand.

"Hello sweetheart," he said.

"Hi," Cheyenna said, "dada, me want 'old baby."

Horatio chuckled. Cheyenna was starting to warm up to Austin. She had asked to hold and help feed him twice the day before. She had been very stand-offish the day they had bought him home.

"Not yet, pumpkin," her dad replied, sitting up. "Baby is still sleeping. You can hold him after breakfast, all right?"

Cheyenna nodded.

Horatio checked on the baby to make sure he were in fact still asleep before he took Cheyenna to pick out her clothes and then to the bathroom to change her pull-up and get her dressed for the day.

Rachel was up by the time they exited the bathroom.

"Hi!" She said brightly. "Is Austin up, daddy?"

Rachel had been in love with her baby brother since he was bought home from the hospital.

"Not yet, honey," Horatio said. "You'll see him after breakfast. Do you want to get dressed first?"

Whether the kids got dressed before or after didn't matter to the parents. They let the children chose.

Rachel shook her head.

"When do I 'ave to go back to school, daddy?" Rachel asked at the breakfast table.

Horatio could tell his oldest was already enjoying being at home.

"Not for a while, sweetheart," he replied.

The couple had planned for their oldest to be out of preschool for two months so she could be with her siblings. They thought that bonding period was more important than preschool.

"Good," the little girl replied,

The light on the baby monitor blinked moments later when dad was cleaning up the table. He heard Austin start to cry he heard his wife's voice at the same time. Their son quickly stopped fussing.

"Austin's awake, daddy!" Rachel said excitedly. "Can I go see mommy?"

"Me, too!" Her sister said.

"Go on," Horatio said.

Even with a newborn in her arms Aimee was glad to see her girls for morning hugs and kisses, even if it were a one-armed hug enough. After a diaper change and another bottle Austin got to be held by his sisters. Cheyenna even gave him a kiss.

Horatio followed the girls upstairs ten minutes later.

"Mornin'," he said, kissing his wife's lips.

"Morning to you," She replied. "How come you didn't wake me up?"

"I wanted you to have the sleep. Besides, _Dora_ is on in a few. I didn't have breakfast yet. I waited for you," Horatio replied.

"How sweet."

The girls sat down to their morning cartoons and Austin was placed in his swing while his parents had a breakfast of scrabbled egg whites and bacon. It was the few minutes of quiet they got but they wouldn't have life in any other way.


	49. I Would

_If anyone hasn't, you should read my story __**Over His Dead Body**__. It explains events from the past mentioned in this chapter._

_**I would. And I have. **_

Every time Horatio had had to shot someone in the line of duty, especially if it were a shot to kill, no matter why, he had felt a ting of guilt even if it were fleeting.

_Every time except one. Shooting convicted rapist Mason Shaw when he escaped a privately-run Georgia prison and came to Miami. _

_The way Shaw had terrorized Horatio's new family and forced them into hiding was almost enough to drive him over the edge. The sight of Mason with his hands around Aimee's neck and seeing the life being drained from her body drove Horatio to kill someone and feel absolutely no remorse. Before this, before he had even met Aimee, Horatio trouble seeing Mason Shaw as a fellow human. Witnessing this, Horatio felt no more guilt than if he had killed a cockroach. It frightened him to think at times if he hadn't got there in time and Aimee had died. Or he had got there and shot Shaw but were too late to save Aimee. He still would have strived to be the father Rachel deserved but there would have forever a hole in his heart and soul from the absence of the only woman who was able to knock down very wall he had put around his heart and kept him feeling safe while she did it._

_Then there was the fact there wouldn't have been any Cheyenna or Austin, another two pieces of him would be missing without Horatio not quite knowing what else wasn't right. No one close to him ever bought up him shooting the Georgia convict. They all believed he had been a 'thousand percent' justified. There would have been an outcry in the lab if the shooting hadn't been ruled anything but justified as swiftly as it had. Even Internal Affairs, that was infamous for giving lab employees and the police a difficult time stated Horatio not only "saved his fiancée's life but he had also done Miami and the world as whole, a favor." _

_There had been brief talk of awarding the lieutenant for his actions, but the moment he got wind of it, Horatio stated he would not accept anything. _

_His award was a life with Aimee, their daughter and now their younger two children._

_Any people who asked him "would you kill to protect your family?" didn't know his history when they asked the question._

_Horatio would answer yes, he would._

_I have and I would do it again, he thought._

Horatio blinked hard to banish the memory from his mind. His newborn cooed in his arms. Aimee had been in the doorframe watching the two men in her life. It was noticeable Horatio was deep in thought. She walked over and kissed his temple.

"You okay, babe?" She asked softly.

Even though her husband had been through counseling following what they had been through at the hands of Mason Shaw she was aware the experience still ran through his mind, especially at times when he was holding one of their children. In a way she had been lucky, thanks to combination of fever and medication, she didn't remember her near-death experience. Nobody was more happy about this than her husband.

Horatio smiled up at her.

"I'm fine," he said.

Three-week-old Austin Caine was now doing much cooing. He often cooed in response when his mom or dad spoke to him. He didn't like it when he thought they were ignoring him. Both smiled at him when he started to coo loudly, his fingers in his mouth.

Calleigh and Eric came over to visit their godson that day. At three and half pregnant with twins Calleigh's baby bump was beginning to show. Aimee thought pregnancy definitely suited the southern CSI. It was about the two had got to this point, wedding or no wedding.

When they asked where the girls were Aimee said they were outside in the backyard, "go to the door and yell 'presents!' and see how fast they come in," she said.

The visiting couple had bought presents for all three children. While the two were there Eric noticed what he thought was a picture of baby Austin that looked vintage.

"How'd you get the picture to look like this?" Eric asked Aimee, knowing her background in photo editing.

Aimee glanced at the photo.

"That's not Austin," Aimee answered. "That's him when he was a month old," she said gesturing to Horatio.

"_Holy shit!_" Eric said. The resemblance between a 4-week-old Horatio Caine and 3-week-old Austin Caine was spooky.

Austin in her arms, Calleigh walked over to see what Eric were talking about.

"You look just like daddy, Cutie,"she said

Austin cooed when Calleigh placed him in Eric's arms. The Cuban soon was to find out that the last one who was holding the baby changed him.

"Wha..?" Eric said, trying in vain to give the baby to Calleigh.

Horatio said, "That's the house rule! Besides, you're the godfather and you definitely need the practice. C'mon," he said, leading the younger man upstairs to the nursery.

Eric complaining all the way with Austin in his arms.

Both women giggled.

"If Eric thinks diapers are bad at this age, just wait a few months when a baby drinks more than formula!" Aimee said.


	50. Gotta Ya!

_**Gotta Ya!**_

"_Jesus!_" Eric's voice said in a horrified tone.

A roar of laughter from Horatio followed. Austin Caine had "got" his godfather when Eric had removed the baby's diaper and didn't cover him up fast enough.

In the three weeks he had been out of his mother's womb Austin Caine had yet to pee on anyone. Uncle Eric had been the first for this.

Horatio was still laughing his head coming down the stairs, Austin in his arms. His wife and Calleigh were sitting in the living room.

"Way to go, little buddy," he smiled to the baby. "Your brave man is in the bathroom," Horatio told Calleigh. "Furiously scrubbing a small stain off his shirt. You really have to bring him over much more in the next six months."

Calleigh giggled. "All right."

"You wanna hold him again?"

"Oh absolutely!" Calleigh replied, reaching out for Austin.

"So, how are you feeling, Calleigh?" Horatio asked.

"Good. Although I'm kinda ticked that I'm showin' and I can't feel nothin'," she said, referring to her babies moving. Calleigh said she still couldn't believe she and Eric were having twins, it wasn't like it ran in either family or she had taken fertility drugs.

"You're having twins 'cause it took you two so long to get together," Aimee said. "Fate's giving you guys two at a time to speed things up."

"Nice theory," Calleigh smiled.

Eric came back down the stairs then.

"See, Eric?" Horatio teased. "It didn't kill ya, did it?"

"Haha," Eric said. "I see what you mean. I shall be more careful, hey, Austin?" Touching Austin's check, he sat down next to his pregnant lover. His godson was just doing what baby boys do, not mention he were too adorable to be mad at.

The Caines knew how happy the couple were about their expected twins. However with the pregnancy being high-risk because of that fact, they were trying not to let themselves get _too_ excited till Calleigh were past her second trimester. Both Aimee and her husband could understand why.

Moments before the couple left Aimee got a call from New York City. It was her friend Lindsay Monroe-Messer.

Lindsay had news.

Despite the fact she and Danny _were_ planning to have another child, they hadn't _planned_ it just yet. Nevertheless, the doctor had confirmed for her that she were four weeks pregnant. Their baby daughter Lydia would be nine months old in two weeks. They were stunned but happy to find out about their second pregnancy.

After teasing Danny ruthlessly for a few minutes after Aimee gave him the phone Horatio Caine congratulated the man.

"Seriously man, that's great. "

Horatio knew that having two children so young, Lydia Messer would be just 16- months-old when her mom had the new baby, would be stressful but the joy they bought overshadowed that. Danny and Lindsay no doubt knew that and their new baby wasn't even here yet.

After that Danny asked Horatio about life with a little boy and how the two little girls were doing.

"They're getting so big!" He said. Aimee sent Lindsay pictures of the children by e-mail at least once a week.

Three children under five or not, Aimee made sure their childhoods were captured through photos. Even Danny thought Austin were a mirror image of his dad. Analyzing a picture of Austin and his dad together one could see that along with the same eye shape and bright eyes that his sisters had also inherited, Austin had the same mouth, chin and nose.

His wife, Lindsay wouldn't say it and neither would he, but both their jaws dropped when they heard Austin Caine's birth weight and how his mother had given birth without any medical intervention whatsoever. With Aimee's petite frame Lindsay were especially amazed. Even without tearing Lindsay couldn't help but think about how sore Aimee must still be.

Aimee admitted to her woman-to-woman that she still had some discomfort but it was much better than the first week. Lindsay thought it was "so sweet" that Horatio had held his wife as she gave birth.

_He used his own body to hold hers in position, placing his hands over hers, lacing his fingers through hers when she grabbed her legs and leaned forward to push with all her might. Seconds before the contraction started he told her to put all she had into pushing, not to worry about holding herself up, he had her._

"_**That's it, baby! Good!**__" He whispered, excitedly. "No noise. Put everything you got into the push. C'mon, you're doing great!"_

"_Good job, Aimee," The doctor encouraged. "Keep it up! Breathe when you need to," she said when she saw the patient start to become out of breath. "That's okay. I know it hurts and you wanna be finished, but slow down. You need to breathe."_

_Aimee didn't __**want**__ to slow down. She wanted this baby out._

"_Breathe, sweetheart," Horatio whispered in Aimee's ear when there was a brief break between Aimee's contractions. _

_His wife was still working too hard and in too much pain to show emotion when the baby's head started to crown. Horatio blinked back tears and swallowed a lump in his throat seeing the sight in the mirror. He had to stay strong for the moment to help his wife through the last bit of labor._

_Both mom and dad broke down in tears when the newborn was placed on Aimee's bare chest. Despite still shaking from pain and exhaustion Aimee thought Austin was the most beautiful baby in the world._

* * *

Horatio hated to think of the next morning. He had felt dread whenever he thought about it in the past month. The department gave three weeks family leave and he had seven days sick leave as well. Horatio was going back to work the next day. He wasn't worried about Aimee. Her in-laws and other relatives were still coming over daily to help her with the children while she was still recovering from giving birth. His problem: having enjoyed four weeks of uninterrupted quality time with his wife and children, he didn't want it to end.

**_R & R!! Gracias!_**


	51. Three now, huh?

_**Three now, huh?**_

_I don't know CSI Cardosa's back story so for this story __**I am making up my own**__. Everyone is free to like the characters they chose and I am a fan of the character Eric Delko and so far, __**very unimpressed**__ in all aspects by the character Jesse Cardosa_. _I prefer Eric Delko, the "new" or the "old" *any day*! This is my personal opinion so please, no mean messages in my reviews or PMs! _

Considering the divorce rate nowadays, casual employees and detectives for other departments who barely knew Horatio Caine and his wife 'betted' that the couple divorced by the time their oldest child were two or three and therefore hadn't had anymore children.

A CSI who used to work with Horatio twelve years prior, Jesse Cardosa, who was now working with the crime lab in Los Angeles were in Miami to see another detective and asked how his old friend was doing. He had heard all about what Horatio and his wife had been through together and last he heard the two had a beautiful daughter and had renewed their wedding vows. Still he wasn't sure if the two were still together, again how many marriages ended in divorce, especially cops' marriages, though he didn't _say_ anything, Calleigh seemed to read what he was thinking when she spoke to him briefly at the reception desk.

"He and Aimee are still married by the way; and if they're not happy, I'm not how you'd define 'happy.' Hopefully you'll get to meet Aimee and the kids while you're in town."

_"Kids?"_ Jesse asked. "'Thought they only had a little girl?"

"_Oh!_" Calleigh said. "You didn't know they added two more since then? Rachel's four, now. Cheyenna's two and the lil' guy is a month old. This is actually Horatio's first day back from family leave. He's out in the field. He should be back shortly."

The first things Jesse Cardosa noticed about his former co-worker's office was the array of framed photos of a pretty young woman, two little girls and a newborn boy on the desk. Then he noticed a child-size table and chair set with crayons on it and lots of sheets of paper with scribbles on them, near the corner of the room.

_The kids must visit him often,_ Jesse thought.

"CSI Cardosa."

Jesse turned to see his old friend.

"Horatio Caine," he said. "Long time."

"Yeah," Horatio said.

"And you've been a busy man, I see," Jesse smiled.

Horatio chuckled. "You could say that."

"They're beautiful," Jesse said, gesturing to the photos.

"That they are."

With three children under five, including a newborn, Aimee told her husband if he bought home company, he bought home take-out. When he invited Jesse home to meet his family Jesse wasn't surprised to hear Horatio's wife's "rule."

"I don't blame her," he said. "I bet she's ran off her feet."

Though he had always been a very private man, it wasn't lost on CSI Cardosa how Horatio Caine had longed for a family for as long as they had known each other. The Horatio that Jesse met in the office doorway that day was a very different one. This one was so _happy_. There was something about his face Jesse couldn't quite pinpoint, but maybe it was that he had never seen Horatio Caine smile like this before, the man's whole face lit up. Jesse was glad for Horatio but himself could never settle down with a family. He had been through two failed marriages while in California. Neither involving children. He couldn't relate to children the way Horatio had always seemed to be able to.

It was the truth when he told Horatio that his family was beautiful. It was enjoyable watching how his daughters climbed all over him and how Horatio asked them about their day, talking about toys and cartoon characters. Even Horatio and Aimee's youngest, Austin, all of four weeks old, responded to his father's voice. He swore he saw a smile on the cooing infant's face while Horatio spoke to the boy when he had him in his arms. The way Horatio switched from tough cop to family man the moment he pulled in his driveway impressed Jesse. He couldn't have done that.

"Your friend is nice," Aimee told her husband when she got into bed that night. "He seemed a tad taken back to see you so involved with the kids. His expression, no matter how quick, was priceless, when you said you'd change Austin's diaper."

"Speaking of the lil' guy," Horatio said, tightening his arm around his wife's shoulders and kissing her forehead. "I forget to tell Jesse his name till we were almost here, when he said how much 'junior' looked like me."

The father knew it was common for people to call tag little boys 'junior' even if they weren't named after their dad and Horatio tried always to take it in good stride but he found it annoying how most people referred to Austin as "Junior."

That wasn't their son's name. Though they wanted to be polite, the two wanted to make it firmly known that their son's name was _Austin_, not Horatio Caine Jr. The last thing they needed was their son getting confused as he learned his name.


	52. Never

_Had to write this as a part of the series after the way Horatio dealt with that horrible excuse for a mother during __**Hostile Takeover**__. He was __**great**__**!**_

_Sorry it's super short!_

_**Never**_

Hurting a child was _never_ excusable to Horatio Caine, no matter what the alleged reason. His blood boiled listening to a mother trying to justify breaking her son's arm and forcing to the boy to blame it on her ex-husband, the boy's father so she could gain sole custody of the child and prevent the father from having any access to the boy.

"There's no excuse for what you did," Horatio told her. "None."

As disgusting as it was for a divorced couple to use their innocent children as pawns to hurt each other, to sink to _this_ level was almost beyond belief. After all his years on the force, this time wasn't the first time the lieutenant had seen this horrible occurrence but time he had felt just as sick.

Glancing at the photos of his children that were on his desk, Horatio sighed and thought the seventeen minute drive home to his family was going to feel very long this evening.


	53. And That's How

_**And That's How...**_

Both Rachel and her sister knew how her mom and dad met and now daddy was telling Austin the story while his baby boy drank his bottle. Horatio thought that the sounds the noises the baby boy made were the sweetest thing in the world.

"...the moment I saw your mom, I thought she were beautiful. But I was just a stranger helping her with a flat tire. And all I knew was her first name, she wisely wasn't gonna tell me anything else. But I tell you, buddy, I couldn't get mommy out of my mind from that moment."

Austin seemed to turn his attention more towards his daddy as if to say "go on, dad." Horatio smiled at him.

"Okay. I'll continue.

"Most of the time daddy went to the same place for lunch. Two weeks after I met mommy when her car had a flat tire I went there and the place was full of people. There was a line up to get a table. The waitress asked me if she could sit me with another customer to speed things up. I knew I wasn't going to be there very long so I said 'okay.'

"The waitress said the lady at the third table over by the window said I could sit with her. I walked over there and the lady turned to face me.

"It was mommy. She recognized me, too and was just as surprised. We talked while we ate. Daddy _knew_ that he wasn't going to be so lucky to see mommy again. So when she left the table for a moment daddy wrote a note on a napkin asking her if she wanted to go out on a date. I folded it up and wrote her name on it. I went and paid my bill and I passed by the table again I laid the note on her table and kept walking. Mommy wasn't looking when I went by. I had to work late the next night and when I got home I found a message on my answering machine from mommy.

"She wanted to go out and wanted to know when I was able to. She told me to call her. We went out two nights later and that was the start was daddy being _very_ lonely to be the happiest man alive."

Seven-week-old Austin Caine smiled, gurgled and spat out the now empty bottle.

"You liked that story, didn't you?" Horatio said to his son. He placed the newborn on his shoulder and patted his back to burp him. Horatio smiled at his son and touched his strawberry-blonde hair. His little boy was definitely gonna be a redhead. "It's time for sleep for you," he said kissing the baby's head. He laid the baby down in the bassinet. "For a little bit, anyway. I know I'm gonna see you again before the morning. Daddy loves you, lil' guy."

Austin immediately began to fuss as if to say "hey! Where ya going? I don't wanna go to sleep!"

"Shh. Time for sleep now, baby boy," he said, touching the child's hair again. "I'll be back later."

Austin was asleep when his mom looked in on him. Aimee smiled at how peaceful her baby looked. He looked so much like his father. When her husband came home he always told her to take a break from things. After all day at the lab and at crime scenes, seeing everything horrible in human behavior, entering his children's world of innocence and make believe wasn't a chore for Horatio but an escape. Aimee didn't feel guilty about enjoying some "me time" before rejoining her family.

Aimee had little trouble getting their children to sleep. One of their neighbors who was the mother of an eighteen-month-old boy told Aimee she "marveled' at the way her children would sleep for her. She told Aimee that the only person her son would sleep was his grandmother, her mother. It was too rude to say it aloud but Aimee thought she'd be ashamed of her life to say that. But she could also understand from the boy's point of view why that was. Her grandmother was more like his mom than his own mother. The boy's father, Selena was just as disconnected from the boy. The baby boy spent about ninety-five percent of the time with his grandmother. No wonder he had a bond with her. Every time Aimee saw Selena she felt disgusted.

Like any first-time parent, the woman Selena, was 'clueless' when her son was born. Aimee and Horatio were too. _But_ instead of bothering to learn how to be a parent, the minute that the child cried and she couldn't settle him in five minutes, she handed the baby to her mother. She told Aimee it was too hard to deal with his crying and she "couldn't wait" to get back to work. Selena had seen her doctor and a psychologist and it was confirmed she did not have postpartum depression, the reality was that motherhood wasn't fitting to her personality or lifestyle, despite the pregnancy being planned. Aimee was flabbergasted to hear the neighbor say she didn't think she and her husband had to make any changes to their lifestyle for a baby. She had returned to work when her son was three months old. It was clear that the baby boy were just an accessory to her, not a human being who needed to be nurtured, taught and raised.

* * *

Eric Delko was now getting _very_ nervous about fatherhood.

"Easy for you to say!" He said to Horatio one day when Horatio told him that it took time but before he knew it, how to care for your child became naturally. "You know all about how to take care of kids!"

Horatio laughed.

"Ya think Aimee and I _started_ that way? If Rachel could remember the first few weeks of her life she'd tell you a very different story!

"For the first six weeks we were both so clueless, it took two of us together to do the simplest thing! For a month and a half she had this look on her face like 'I can't believe they sent me home with you people!' You had to see us trying to give her first bath. I thought for sure that the poor baby was gonna say 'people, this ain't rocket science!'

"Trust me, Eric. You and Calleigh will do just fine."


	54. Hormones

_**Hormones. They go both ways.**_

"I _hate_ Eric," Calleigh complained.

Aimee smiled at her friend. Knowing what Calleigh were going through, though being pregnant with twins had to be worse. Horatio's wife couldn't say she envied the woman.

"One of those days, huh?" she asked.

"Yeah. And he gets all sensitive when I say it to him even when he knows I don't really mean it."

"That's them male pregnancy hormones," Aimee said. "Horatio was like that the first few months I was pregnant with Rachel. Then he got used to it and just smiled and said 'yes, dear' every time and proceed to ignore me."

Calleigh was now only working part-time now and strictly on desk duty. She was off today and going stir-crazy. That's why she had come over and visited the Caines. Rachel was over playing with the neighbors. Cheyenna was napping and Austin was happy in his swing.

Aimee didn't mind chatting with her friend, even if it were just letting Calleigh vent. She enjoyed the adult conversation as well.

* * *

"_Calleigh hates me!"_ Eric whined to Horatio.

Horatio smiled.

_Rookie sensitivity. _

He remembered that. He had it himself for the first few months while Aimee were pregnant with their now four-year-old daughter. He got over it and realized his poor wife was just blowing off steam and didn't get the same feeling with their last two pregnancies. As his wife told Calleigh Horatio learned to let what she said in one ear and out the other. His wife had a _human being_ growing and developing inside her. That had to reek havoc on her more than physically at times. Though he said there was no reason for her to and he told her that every time Aimee felt bad when she vented at Horatio, even if she always got tons of hugs and kisses afterward.

"No, Eric. _She_ doesn't hate you. Her hormones do."

Part of Horatio wanted to tell Eric he had another four months of this and hormones tended to get worse but judging by Eric's current expression Horatio thought he might cry if he told him that.

Frank, however, decided he wanted to have a little fun.

"You know those hormones get worse the more pregnant she gets, right?" He asked Eric.

The look that crossed Eric's face was one of like he saw the scariest horror movie. Horatio had to stifle a laugh. He nodded at Eric when the Cuban looked at him.

"'Afraid he's right. In my experience, anyway," he said.

* * *

Because she were carrying twins Calleigh knew now that she probably wouldn't feel any movement from the babies for a while and because there was two instead of one baby she was prone to feel less movement. She was bummed out about that. She'd looked forward to that since Aimee Caine allowed her to touch her pregnant belly for the first time four years ago. The baby Aimee carried then, now a chatty and lovable preschooler named Rachel, still couldn't wrap her young mind around the fact Calleigh and Eric were going to have _two_ babies at once. She asked her mother how this happened. Aimee just told her it was one of those magic things that happened. She wasn't going to give a four-year-old a biology lesson.

The expectant couple were still debating whether or not to find out the sex of the babies and if they were identical or not. They had plenty of time and were just looking forward to their future together. Heaven knew they had waited long enough. Eric's mother had backed off about when the couple were going to marry. She had stopped short of saying "so the babies would be real Delkos." She knew nobody in her family would have taken kindly to that statement.

**_Please R & R!!!! _**


	55. Baby Training Day 02

_**Baby Training: Day 02**_

Since he was going to have two newborns at once, Eric Delko was spending his Saturday afternoon with his best friends' children.

Call it Training Day 02. That was what Horatio was referring to it as. The children's dad was going to be there but Eric was flying solo looking after the kids while their mom and his own pregnant fiancee spent the afternoon out. In preparation for the young man having two sets of diapers and late night feedings thrown at him, Eric was getting a dose of what it was like to look after a preschooler, a toddler and an infant at the same time. Along with diapers, bottles and dribble cloths, Eric was also getting a dose of sippy cups, toddler snacks, fingerpaint portraits and sibling spats between a four-year-old and two-year-old. He said he didn't mind all the previous things but him having to be the bad guy and put Rachel or Cheyenna in time-out if they misbehaved was not something he wanted to do.

Ever.

With his own kids, in the future, sure Eric would be able to handle it. But with his nieces, no way.

"You're going to be in the house. What are you going to be doing today?" Eric asked.

"I'll be listening on the intercom. I'll be downstairs in the rec room watching _The Godfather_ Trilogy," Horatio said, grabbing a sub sandwich and two cans of soda from the frig and shoving a large bag of chips under one arm. "Unless one of the _children_ sends me an S.O.S., for which I'll be the judge, you're on your own."

Eric knew the girls had just had breakfast so lunch for them would be a while. He didn't have any problems with feeding Austin, hopefully changing the boy's diapers wouldn't be too difficult, either. He was definitely going to remember to cover the boy up this time.

By the time lunch had ended nothing big had happened. There was a minor hitch during lunch when Eric didn't cut the crusts off of Cheyenna's sandwich. However the two-year-old remedied this situation herself.

"Ewic, crusts," Horatio heard her say.

Calleigh called soon after. She and Aimee were getting ready to go to a movie. Before she had to turn off her phone she wanted to know how Eric was doing.

"Well, I haven't heard any screaming from either party," the lieutenant told her. "He did forget to cut the crust off Cheyenna's sandwich though. Other than that he's doing good. I'm hearing a lot of laughing so that's always good."

* * *

Eric had to admit he was having fun. He was glad he hadn't had to give any time-outs, only one warning to the sisters when they started to fight over a puzzle. Taking care of children, especially ones that young was tiring but it was more rewarding than anything else. Eric had no idea hugs and kisses from little ones could make one melt so much inside.

"I loves you, Eric," Rachel said to him, turning around and hugging him while sitting in the Cuban's lap. "You should take care of us more often."

Eric kissed the girl's forehead.

"I loves you, too, sweetie," he said.

"How's things going?" Aimee asked Calleigh. "I didn't hear a racket."

"They seem to be having fun," Calleigh said. "Horatio said he didn't hear any cries for help from Eric when he fed the girls lunch or when he changed Austin, so he hasn't been peed on, either."

Nearing 5:00pm, Eric had to admit he was getting tired. By then he did have to use a time-out on each girl. Having to do that he realized it bothered him more than the children. The girls were coloring on the floor. Their baby brother though was fussing. He calmed some when Eric held him so the young CSI was walking the floor with him. By the time Horatio came up from the basement rec room at 5:20pm Eric knew the look on his face said "thank god, you're here!"

"You're off the clock now. I'll take 'em," he said, reaching out and taking Austin from Eric. "Hey lil' man, what's the matter?" He said to the baby.

Eric went over to the girls and bent down.

"Uncle Eric is going home, now, guys," He said to them.

"Are you gonna came back and play with us soon?" Rachel asked.

"Of course I am. I love being with you guys."

Both girls gave Eric a hug and kiss before he left.

Eric had dropped on to the couch as soon as his coat and shoes were off. He fell asleep immediately. Calleigh smiled at the sight of her fiancé snoring softly when she walked through the door an hour later.

"Hey," she said softly, touching his cheek to wake him. "You have a nice day?"

"I did," Eric yawned. "But put it this way," he said, rubbing her rounded belly. "After these guys, it'll be ten years before we have any more!"

Calleigh burst out laughing.

**_I know it's been a while but I'm not sure if anyone is reading so please R & R!_**


	56. Just Curious

_**Just Curious**_

"I'm strictly asking you this 'cause I'm curious," Calleigh said to Horatio the next morning. "But what did you do to Eric yesterday? He fall asleep the moment he got home and stayed that way for two hours."

Horatio shrugged. "He spent the day in Aimee's shoes, doing what she does when I'm at work. I was only there in case of emergency. The _children's_ idea of emergency. Must say he did a good job. The girls keep asking when he's gonna babysit again."

He made sure he put in while he was at work because when he was home he was just as involved with the children's daily care, changing the same number of diapers and wiping as many tears.

"He had fun, too. Even if he were exhausted by the time he got home. 'Said he couldn't get enough of the hugs and kisses the girls gave him." Calleigh said her fiancé couldn't stop talking about his day after he awoke.

Despite what he had said to his fiancee the night before Eric certainly hoped that after the twins that it wouldn't be ten years before they had a third child. Maybe because of the double trouble with twins, it would be three years, not one or two between the children but definitely not ten. His friend had told him that three children under five was a handful for anyone, even him and for a "rookie," he did a great job.

"Babies do fuss for no reason, you know," Horatio said to Eric later in the day.

Eric had said that he wasn't sure he did that good of a job because he couldn't get Austin to calm down.

"If it makes you makes feel any better I couldn't either. He wanted mommy," Horatio replied. "He reached for Aimee the second he got sight of her."

"Really?"

Eric didn't realize babies that young could have such preference at a particular moment in time.

"Yep. He was having one of those 'I want mommy and you're not her' evenings. It's not personal."

Austin also had moments and days where he wanted Horatio and couldn't be distracted from that idea no matter what. Those days were long for his mom. Having a husband so willing to take the baby and soothe him after he returned from work wasn't something Aimee ever took for granted.

* * *

Aimee smiled as she hung up the phone with her friend. Calleigh Duquesene had just called her all excited. It was nearly eight-thirty and Horatio was busy tucking Rachel into bed. Calleigh couldn't contain her excitement and called to tell her friends that she had felt at least one of her babies move for the first time.

"That's wonderful, Calleigh," Aimee said.

That feeling of excitement and joy was all too familiar for her. It didn't get old even in her second and third pregnancies. The first time had its uniqueness but the feeling of every kick and movement tended to cause a surge of emotion. Aimee was glad for her friend that Eric was home for the moment as well. He was just as excited as his fiancee in anticipation of this moment.

Aimee told her husband about the phone call when he came to the living room shortly after.

"Aw," Horatio said. "That's sweet. I imagine Eric was thrilled."

Calleigh had told Horatio's wife that her fiancé's eyes had lit up like a Christmas tree.

Both Caines thought the couple were going to make incredible parents. That was one reason why they had made them their children's godparents. The two didn't know yet that they were soon going to be godparents as well.

**R & R!**


	57. Happy Anniversary part 1

_**Happy Anniversary (Part 1)**_

_This chapter has a hint of kinkiness in our couple's sex life. __**Be warned**__**!**_

In two weeks it would The Caines' third wedding anniversary. The one of their first wedding. Horatio had booked them two nights at a swanky hotel in downtown Miami. The hotel was new, opening just six months prior. He had yet to process a crime scene here and he hoped he wouldn't have to in the next two weeks.

That would must definitely spoil the mood for their anniversary.

They had begged and cajoled and finally Horatio and Aimee had gave in, partly. The experienced parents had insisted that the expectant couple not buy them an anniversary gift, they needed the money for their coming additions. In reply the couple said the least they could do was take the kids for that weekend. The four also thought it made much more sense for Calleigh and Eric to stay at the Caines' house for that time.

"More practice would be useful," Calleigh joked.

The two agreed to let them take the girls. Austin was spending the weekend with his grandparents.

"John was a perfect gentleman on our honeymoon," Aimee's friend's cousin said.

"You have my deepest condolences," Aimee replied.

_The __last__ thing any woman wants is her husband to be a perfect gentleman on their __honeymoon__._

Maria's cousin Cori-Lynn was visiting again. Her two children and husband John were at an amusement park. The three woman were talking a week before Aimee and Horatio left for their anniversary weekend.

"You mean Horatio wasn't?"

"_Hell no! _He knew better!"

"He must be a gentleman the rest of the time," Cori-Lynn said.

According to Maria, her cousin had grown up in a very conservative, highly religious family. Translation to Aimee, Cori-Lynn was a prude. She also appeared to think that since Horatio was older than his wife that he were less interested in sex and the couple had a less than satisfying sex life.

The mere notion of that made Aimee chuckle. Zero for two, baby.

Prudish Cori-Lynn was about to learn another aspect of the couple's sex life. Maria was on the couple's computer. She was reading the hotel's website.

"Hey! Did you know this hotel even offers you the use of a toybox?"

"I know. We're bringing our own," Aimee replied. "I'd rather use our own gear. We made sure the bed in our room got rails!"

Cori-Lynn's jaw dropped.

"You two don't, _oh my god!_" She said.

"Yeah," Aimee said. "You'd be surprised how many couples do things like that in private."

Parents or not, one of the things the two enjoyed was the use of handcuffs and other sex toys. They always made _triple_ sure that the door was locked when they engaged in these adult-oriented activities.

* * *

"Weally?" Cheyenna said, excited.

Mommy had just told her that next weekend, she showed the toddler by counting down the days on the calendar, that aunt Calleigh and Uncle Eric would be staying with them.

"And it's just going to be you and sissy. Austin is going to stay with nanny and poppy."

Aimee had the couple over the day before and had them bathe the children to make sure they were completely comfortable with all the girls' care.

They were.

Four-years-old and two-years-old was too young for the girls to feel uncomfortable with a male they trusted bathing them.

Calleigh smiled at how excited Eric seemed about spending the weekend with their goddaughters.

"It's a ton of fun, Cal," Eric gushed to his fiancee. "And H and Aimee definitely deserve the break."

"And I heard givin' time-out isn't the _horror_ you thought," Calleigh teased.

Eric stuck out his tongue.

"Don't mock me, woman! I'm the uncle, I'm supposed to be the good guy all the time!"

* * *

"I like how your 'toy box' is just a plain black leather case like a private doctor's bag."

Calleigh were over at the Caine Residence. Aimee was double-checking her luggage. Horatio's were all packed and in the porch. Eric and Horatio would arrive at the house momentarily and then Aimee and Horatio were leaving. Both men were getting off work early at 3:00pm.

Aimee grinned.

"How'd you know we play that game?"

"Hey H, do you mind if we take the girls out for dinner this evening?" Eric asked Horatio before both exited the lab and got into their own vehicles.

Horatio shrugged and smiled.

"After 3:30 they're yours. I don't care what you guys do. Feed 'em donuts and gummi bears all weekend if ya want."

Eric chuckled.

"I guess we know where _your_ brain is right now and will be all weekend!"


	58. A Brief Interlude

_**A Brief Interlude**_

_Before __**Part II**__ of __**Happy Anniversary**__ goes ahead...._

After giving birth to three children in four years Aimee had managed to regain her figure. However this time she had developed stretch marks and to her dismay, it didn't appear they showed any signs of fading. She tried to tell herself that it had been just _eight weeks_ since she had last given birth, to give it time. Despite knowing her husband had seen her at her worst, Christ, the man had seen her give birth three times and even delivered their daughters. The joy of the arrival of a child aside, one had to be honest, the _**process**_ of childbirth itself was truly disgusting. Still for a brief, and very brief time, she felt uncomfortable being naked in front of her husband. She thought she looked "gross."

Horatio could sense her thoughts and the first time they made love after their son's birth told her, the _last_ thing her body was to him was "gross." To him, she were the sexiest woman in the world. When his eyes did her stretch marks, he thought of the three beautiful children they had made together. He refused to turn the lights out, he wanted to _see_ her body as they made love.

After that night any self-consciousness had about being naked in the presence of Horatio disappeared.


	59. Happy Anniversary Part II

_**Happy Anniversary (Part II)**_

_A little kinkiness ahead in this chapter! Consider yourself warned!_

It was always possible that the children could shed a few tears and have some separation anxiety when their parents were leaving for a weekend. Horatio changed out of his work clothes into another suit when he got home and the two kissed their daughters goodbye. There wasn't a single tear from either girl. In fact, they seemed to be looking forward to mommy and daddy going. Aimee's mom had come over and picked up Austin an hour before. Knowing that he wouldn't see his baby son before he left for the weekend Horatio had made sure he had given the baby boy plenty of kisses that morning before he left.

A candle-lit dinner for two was a wonderful break for the couple. True, time for "them" was made a priority in their everyday life but there was something about the absolute certainty of not having children interrupt helped heat up the mood. For Horatio, the little black dress with spaghetti straps accompanied by the black stilettos Aimee wore were a perfect preview for what the night would bring. She wasn't dressed that way when they left their house. After arriving at the hotel and checking in Aimee suggested that her husband go down and inquire about their dinner reservation. Having a feeling that his wife had something up her sleeve, Horatio left the room. When he returned he was greeted by his wife in her new attire.

_"Oh, wow, babe," he said, his eyes widening._

_"You like?" Aimee asked, smiling mischievously._

_"I do. I think, he said_, _walking over to her and kissing her deeply and then kissing the nape of her neck. "I just might wanna skip dinner."_

* * *

"Did I see a little black dress under Aimee's clothes bag?" Eric asked Calleigh. "I know I saw the shoes."

The two were laying on the sofa together after putting the girls to bed. Calleigh was sitting between Eric's knees and he was massaging her scalp.

"You did," she said. "I happen to know that they plan to go ballroom dancing before they head to their suite for _the horizontal tango_."

Before the two returned upstairs to their room, a honeymoon suite, Horatio had asked the staff to have the satin sheets of the bed and have a trail of rose petals leading from the doorway onto the bed. Lines of flickering led lights filled the suite, the only source of light in the room. Aimee's breath caught in her throat when she stepped into the room. When she turned her head she was met by her husband's kiss.

"You arranged all this?" She asked when their lips finally parted. Her palm still on Horatio's cheek.

Horatio smiled and nodded.

His wife said nothing and kissed him passionately again, her fingers already starting to undo the buttons of his shirt.

The toybox would have to wait to be used till tomorrow night.

Rachel and Cheyenna were having a very good time with their godparents. Calleigh and Eric were warned in advance that the two sisters often climbed into the their parents' bed for cuddles around 7:00am. That was more than okay with that. They were almost looking forward to it.

Not totally forgetting about their children, Aimee called to check on them the next morning. Aimee laughed when Rachel barely wanted to talk to her and Cheyenna didn't have time to talk at all because Eric and Calleigh were about to go to nanny and poppy's to see Austin then to Eric's parents' house and go in the "swimmy" pool.

After their marathon of love-making the night before, Horatio and his wife went down to the restaurant to eat breakfast, if only to give housekeeping a chance to clean the room. Then they spent the afternoon, lazing around, watching movies. They watched the first movie they had seen together, _Wedding Crashers_ followed by _Wild Hogs_, not exactly the most _romantic_ movies enjoyable nevertheless. Later in the day the two unexpectedly won a set to see a David Copperfield performance. Once back at their suite the couple would follow this a session of playing 'doctor' with the unique twist of handcuffs being used.

Chlorinda Delko thought the Caine children were "absolutely precious." Her son and future daughter-in-law were great with the girls. It was apparent they loved their godchildren. She was disappointed however that they hadn't bought the baby over, too. She yet to meet Austin Caine.

"We left him home to watch the house," Eric said.

Calleigh elbowed him in the ribs.

"He's with his grandparents this weekend," she said. "Mom and dad figured two were enough to start practicing with."

"Can we go in your swimmy pool, pease, Eric's mommy?" Rachel asked.

She was standing next to Eric, holding his hand and shyly looking up at the older woman in front of her.

"You certainly can, honey," she said, bending down to the child's level.

Eric had called his mother ahead of time. Yes, he and Calleigh could bring the kids over to go swimming. Chlorinda said she would even make lunch for the group. After the girls got to swim _and _have hotdogs for lunch, followed by ice cream from the ice cream truck when it came around, Calleigh laughed that girls just might cry when they saw their parents come home the following evening.


	60. Maybe

_**Maybe We're Wrong**_...

"_MOMMY!"_ Cheyenna Caine screamed, running towards the door.

Calleigh and Eric smiled watching the two-year-old ran to her mom.

Aimee smiled and scooped up her child.

"_Hello sweetheart!_" She said, kissing her cheek. "Did you have a nice weekend?"

Maybe the godparents were wrong when they thought the children would be disappointed to see their parents return. The toddler chattered about she had met Eric's parents, played in their "swimmy" pool and how the older woman had given them hotdogs and ice cream.

Their friend and his wife looked quite refreshed.

_When you have three children under five, including a ten-week-old baby as much as you love them, it must be good to have a few days with just your spouse, _Calleigh thought. She and Eric would know this in the months to come.

Horatio had picked up four-year-old Rachel and she was telling him how she got to feel the babies in Calleigh's belly kick earlier that day.

"I don't know which one it 'as but it 'as cool!"

"I bet," Horatio smiled, glancing at Calleigh.

Lacy Michaels arrived with her grandson a few moments later. Horatio told the two to sit for a while. Austin's godparents were glad they hadn't been in a hurry to leave. The ten-week-old boy was sound asleep for a few short minutes when he was bought home. He appeared ready to cry then he saw his dad and smiled.

"Hi ya, buddy," Horatio said to him. He lifted the baby from the carrier and kissed his soft cheek. Austin's response was to kick his chubby little legs. "Did you have fun with nanny and poppy?"

The break had been great but the couple were ready to get back to their kids. He was fifteen years his wife's senior but how youthful a dad he was didn't surprise anyone who knew Horatio. Some who didn't know him personally thought he was a "grandpa" type of dad who was there for them emotionally, but "just patted them on top of the head and told them to go play or read them a story occasion" and tucked them into bed at night. To see him take as much part in the children's day-to-day care and get down on the floor, wrestle and play with them would surprise some people. Eric told people that his friend could do that even if he was older because of the years of "pent-up waiting." If Horatio was to be asked it was worth the years of being so lonely to be where his life was today.


	61. Haitus 2

Sorry to readers who are waiting for an update but I have writer's block! I'll be back as soon as I can!


	62. Voices of Experience

_**Voices of Experience**_

_Sorry for the delay! A brief yet humerus chapter for ya'll!_

Now four and a half months pregnant Calleigh were off work and on partial bed rest as a precaution because of the multiple pregnancy. The mother-to-be's hormones had been getting the better of her the past few days and she felt horrible about "flipping out" at her fiancé for no reason. She called Aimee Caine for advice and possibly some support.

Aimee told her not to beat herself up, that Eric loved her and understood.

"Do you know what shape I'd be in if I'd beat myself up every time I 'flipped out' at your darling supervisor while I was pregnant?"

Calleigh laughed.

Aimee had no doubt that having to be off work early and especially on bed rest was adding to Calleigh's emotions. She wasn't going to say a word but Aimee was sure she would have gone insane if she were stuck on bed rest.

"I wasn't above seriously wanting to throw things at Horatio's head at times," Aimee chuckled. "He's lucky I didn't have your gun collection."

"I guess Eric should worry," she said and laughed out loud.

* * *

"How's Calleigh doing?" Horatio asked Eric at the lab.

"Good. I think this bed rest thing is starting to get to get to her, though," Eric replied. "I feel bad for her, wish I could do something more for her."

"I think you're doing fine, Eric. You guys thought anymore about finding out the sex of the babies?"

"We have. Maybe next appointment we'll see. So far the doctor doesn't think they're identical."

Horatio smiled. He knew the gender or type of twins didn't matter to the expectant parents but they were getting more anxious to know with each passing day. Some people, including Eric's parents thought the couple should wait. They thought every couple should wait. Then again they also thought that the couple should have been married before they had children and now that Calleigh _was_ pregnant, they should have got married as soon as they found out. Personally Horatio thought that marriage was a wonderful thing but not essential for a completely committed relationship. He believed that Eric and Calleigh had the right to get married when they felt ready, not when certain people felt they should, even if two of those people were Eric's parents.

Several days ago, Aimee and Horatio were touched and honored when the expectant Delkos had asked them to be their twins' godparents.


	63. Valentine's Day in Miami

_**Valentine's Day In Miami**_

_Roses, accompanied by teddy bear and chocolates, ordered for love of his life. _

_Check. _

_Two teddy bears and boxes of chocolates for two very special little girls, check. _

_A new brightly colored rattle for a sweet baby boy._

_Check. _

_Reservations for a night at the Holiday Inn. Plans made for children to stay with grandparents._

_Double check._

It was almost Valentine's Day in Miami and Horatio Caine was making preparations. Before meeting Aimee, February fourteenth was just another day. A day he would especially throw himself into the job to avoid seeing all the kissing couples enjoying each other's company on this day that made him cringe inside because it reminded him of his loneliness. But since he had met Aimee it was a day he looked forward to.

"They're pretty, mommy," Rachel said, looking at the vase of roses placed on the center of the table.

The little girl was munching on the chocolates her dad had given her. Chocolate ringed her lips.

"They are," her mom agreed.

"Daddy gave them to you 'ause he loves you?"

"That's right."

Both Rachel's parents were looking forward to the following night, mom and dad's 'adults only' night.

* * *

Since her bed rest was only partial, no heavy lifting or extreme excursion, Calleigh Duquesne was permitted to go on the Valentine's Day weekend her fiancé had planned for them.

And yes, her doctor said, Calleigh was still allowed to have sex.

_Thank god,_ the mother-to-be thought. Whether it was because she was starting to go stir-crazy or whether it was because she found her man so very sexy but all she could think of the past few days was ravaging Eric. Her fiancé had rented a beach house for the weekend, paying a bit extra to have a full order of groceries picked up and put away. Eric had that Friday off and the couple were leaving the suburbs of Miami for the tranquil sound of the waves and ocean view shortly.

* * *

Valentine's Day was also unfortunately a day seemed to be filled with love-scorn murders but surprisingly by 10:30 the team hadn't received any calls. The group was sitting around, talking about any Valentine's Day plans. Natalia thought it was sweet that even with three small children Horatio and Aimee still kept the romance alive. The lieutenant received a chorus of "aww"'s when it was heard that he had sent his wife roses that morning.

"This is incredible," Calleigh sighed.

She and Eric were laying on beach chairs on the deck of the beach house, Eric's arm slipped around his woman's shoulders. He smiled and placed his other hand on Calleigh's round belly. He leaned in and kissed Calleigh's lips softly. "I'm glad you agree. I'm enjoying this time with the three of you," he said, rubbing her belly in circles. The engaged couple's lovemaking didn't take long to start. The moment they were indoors and away from the windows, clothes started to come off. The sight of a pregnant lady had always been beautiful to Eric Delko's eyes but _his_ pregnant lady was even more radiant. Clothes littered the floor, leaving a trail from the kitchen to the bedroom.

"I can't believe you still wanna have your way with me," Calleigh sighed, running her fingers through Eric's hair afterwards.

"You're beautiful," Eric replied. "Trust me, keepin' my hands is always my problem."

Eric was still in awe that he and Calleigh were going to be parents together. A day ago when the two had visited the doctor to make sure Calleigh was able to go on their weekend trip they had also found out the sex of their babies, a girl and a boy. Even at this early stage the detailed ultrasound left no doubt. They had decided on names that day; Emily and Adam. They were going to try to keep this a secret for as long as they could, which wasn't going to be that long. The babies' names would more likely to be kept secret being there was a possibility of chance prior to their arrival.

* * *

Friday had passed surprisingly quick for Horatio, with few cases. He was happy to be able to get home before dinner. The first person to notice his presence was three-month-old Austin. The infant boy squealed in delight from his infant carrier on the table.

"Hey buddy," he said smiling. "Did you miss me?"

He picked up the tiny boy who was now had his father's red hair. This seemed to appear overnight.

The baby gurgled.

Horatio smiled at two nearly emptied chocolate boxes on the table, the ones he had given the girls that morning. Walking into the living room he saw his daughters sleeping on the couch. He guessed that they finally crashed from the sugar, whenever this happened the two didn't sleep for that long.

"Hey," Aimee said, coming down the stairs and kissing her husband's cheek.

"Hey," he said kissing her back. "I'm guessing they enjoyed their treats."

Aimee laughed. "They crashed 'bout an hour ago. They should be awake soon." His wife smiled at their infant son clinging to his father's shoulder like a little monkey. "Looks like someone else missed you, too."

Horatio smiled. "I always miss you guys, too."

"How was your day?" Aimee said, sitting on the sofa next to her husband, resting her head on his husband's shoulder.

"Slow, actually. It was nice for a change." His wife never asked for details and he never told her, not just because that wasn't permitted.

"I was talking to mom. Her and dad will be here at ten thirty tomorrow. We can be at the hotel by check-in."

"Sounds good to me," Horatio grinned.

Unknown to her husband, along with their personal bag of "toys" Aimee also packed a variety of lubricates and massage oils. The two were very much going to enjoy their 'adult time.'

_Next episode: Valentine's Saturday Night!_


	64. Valentine's Day in Miami Adults Only

_**Valentine's Day in Miami**_

_Part II_

_Adults Only_

There was the "us" time they got in very short intervals between caring for three little kids at home, then there was _this_. After brunch and a stroll on the beach, the two _barely_ made it to their hotel room before they started to hastily undress each other. The tubes of lubricant and the "toys" proved to make this time more enjoyable. They couldn't make this sort of noise at home, either, it was a big part of their release. Her wife's body may not have been completely the same but nevertheless she still "did it" for him. Their sex life had only dropped off in recent years, not because of either's age but because of parenthood. Not that either would change a second of that.

They realized there were people they knew, possibly more than they realized who thought it was strange or not right for them to have three small children.

And hoping for a fourth in the future. Their daughters were approximately two years apart but the two hoped to try to conceive again when Austin turned one. But now was the time to just enjoy Austin's babyhood for a while.

The couple didn't see any of the hotel after they entered their room. They ordered dinner in from room service. Their suite was equipped with a two-person Jacuzzi where they drank champagne and fed each other chocolate-coated strawberries. After that, they stood on the balcony of the room, watching the sun in the sky till it disappeared. They spent the rest of the night curled up naked in each other's arms watching pay-per-view movies on the large flat screen television enjoying the quiet and each other's warmth and company.

* * *

Calleigh and Eric were still weeks away from becoming parents. And the more time they spent with the Caine family the more they couldn't wait. Calleigh had been more secret than her boyfriend about wanting children. It most likely the differences in their family life and childhoods that caused this. Eric had a very close loving family and a childhood filled with wonderful memories. Calleigh's could only be described as the opposite. Still she knew she wasn't her mother and she and Eric would be able to give their children the life she didn't have herself. Both she and Eric often wondered if, even though he wasn't _that_ old—just older than when people usually start a family, if Horatio had trouble keeping up with his young family. It never appeared like he did. The fact the two had three young children was proof the couple's sex life was still good.

If their friends only knew, it was better than 'good'—despite the slight less frequency.

* * *

After a buffet breakfast at the restaurant and putting their luggage in the car, Horatio and Aimee strolled on the boardwalk holding hands before heading home. Their daughters were playing in the backyard, splashing in their wadding pool while their grandmother watched when they heard mom and dad arrive home. Lacy asked them if she wanted to get out of the pool. She hoped they would.

"No." Rachel said. "They'll come and see us."

In the Austin's room, Trey was changing Austin's diaper. Austin was laughing up at a storm.

"Goodness, you're a happy baby," Trey said to the baby.

There was seldom a day when Rachel, Cheyenna and Austin weren't happy.

In some families grandparents didn't like it when their grandchild didn't resemble their child or them and very much unappreciated when people mentioned it. But Trey and Lacy didn't care. All their grandchildren were beautiful and they looked like Horatio much more than their daughter. Their grandson especially he was a carbon copy of his dad, down to his red hair.

The girls were happy to see their parents, mom and dad didn't mind getting wet when their little girls climbed out of the pool to see them. The couple looked quite refreshed, Lacy noticed. She were glad the two made it a priority to get away as a couple, not just "mommy and daddy" for a night, especially on Valentine's Day.

However Lacy and Trey were glad to be going home as well. Taking care of three small children, including a three-month-old was exhausting—and they weren't getting any younger, they thought.

"We're back on the clock, huh?" Horatio smiled, kissing his wife's head as his in-laws pulled out of the driveway.

"Yep," she replied with a smile.


	65. Unavailable

_**Unavailable**_

The amount of smiles Horatio got from women when they saw him pushing a stroller were always plentiful. Apparently seeing him with a double stroller with a toddler was even more endearing. Having worked a double shift, Horatio had Tuesday off. Aimee and Rachel had a "mommy and me" day at the beauty parlor, getting manicures, pedicures and hair-dos. Horatio was taking Cheyenna and Austin to the aquarium. The five were meeting up for a late lunch. The ever-prepared parents remembered to take a small snack for the girls to keep them happy in between breakfast and lunch.

Horatio was being eye-balled by a blonde woman with a D-cup and "legs up to her throat" as Aimee would say as he fed Austin his bottle at the outdoor café.

And he knew it.

Cheyenna was busily coloring on the large children's place mat.

The woman was half stood up when Aimee and Rachel entered the restaurant. Rachel immediately spotted her father.

"Daddy!" She exclaimed, running to him.

She eagerly showed him her hair, now an inch or so shorter, just above her shoulders, she had a thin braid on the left side of her head. She put out her hands and one of her sandled foot to show him her nails.

"You look so pretty, sweetheart," Horatio told her.

The blonde woman slumped back into her chair, looking _very_ disappointed. This "sexy single dad" as she thought Horatio was, had three, not two small children.

Her face turned into a frown as she saw he _wasn't_ a single dad.

She saw him stand and greet his wife with a smile and a kiss, still feeding the baby in his arms. Aimee touched Austin's hair and kissed his forehead after kissing Horatio.

"You look great," Horatio said to her. "But you did, before," he whispered in her ear, smiling.

When her mom sat down, Cheyenna immediately climbed in her lap and describe all the "fishies" she saw at the aquarium. She counted on her fingers how many colors they were and showed her with her hands how big or small they were.

"It sounds like you had a really good time, sweetheart," Aimee said, kissing her daughter.

Both girls enjoyed hotdogs and fries—with tons of ketchup, while their parents dined on barbequed streak and corn. Austin cooed away while the family ate. Both Cheyenna and Austin fell asleep on the short walk home. After the two were put down to nap, Eric and Calleigh walked through the front door .Eric had the day as well because he and Horatio had worked the same double shift.

Since the _moment_ Eric found out his love were pregnant, even before they knew it were twins, he had fussed over Calleigh like she were made of glass. His fussing got worse when they were having twins and the fact Calleigh was on partial bedrest. This was getting on Calleigh's last nerve.

"You can open the door for me but I can walk through it _on my own_," Horatio and Aimee laughed hearing the frustration in Calleigh's tone.

_Pampering was one thing, _Aimee thought. _But Eric is indeed going a bit over-board. _

Once Calleigh "safely" seated on the sofa, which her boyfriend followed her to, Eric went out on the deck with Horatio, leaving Aimee and her alone.

Rachel had gone to her room to color.

"I just might _kill_ him," Calleigh muttered.

Aimee smiled.

"How man y times have you reminded him that you can shoot him?"

"I've lost count," she replied.

Even Horatio told Eric to "ease up"— maybe for his own good.

"It's great you want to be there and let her know how much you care, Eric. _But _you don't want her to feel smothered. And it sounds like she does."

Eric sighed. "I know, H. I know Calleigh will take care of herself completely. But it's hard. I don't want anything to happen to them."

"I realize that. And believe me, I understand. But think about it this way, if Calleigh isn't feeling smothered, and annoyed with _you_, she'll be more relaxed and that will be good for her and the babies. Plus she'll be more appreciative when you do things for her."

"Point taken," Eric said with a smile.

When the two men entered the house Austin woke up.

"Come on, brother," Horatio said, taking Eric by the shoulder. "You get to change a dirty diaper."

Austin always had more than a wet diaper when he woke up after an afternoon nap.

"What! No!" Eric protected.

"Oh stop being such a drama-_queen!_ It's no worse than the worst dumpster you've ever been on!"

"Oh, gee, _that's_ a reassuring comparison!" Calleigh said, bursting out laughing hearing the exchange.


	66. 66 Fountain of Youth

_**Gone after ten seasons, R.i.P. CSI Miami! Characters will live on forever in fanfiction!**_

_**Fountain of Youth**_

_Rated M for sexual content!_

Not that Horatio had ever looked "old" to his collogues but he did look older than his years. Since he had met Aimee he suddenly appeared _years _younger. This effect only appeared to continue when Rachel was born. The more the family grew, the younger Horatio appeared.

_Step-by-Step Memories _

_**Sorry for the briefness in some of the P.O.V.'s! It just builds the moment.**_

_**Horatio's P.O.V. **_

_He couldn't deny that he were indeed physically attracted to Aimee. Since he had met her three weeks ago, he had never jerked himself off so much in the shower (at home) or in bed since he was a teenager. Aimee was always on his brain, this woman, who he didn't even know the last name of was driving him __crazy__. When he had the __incredible__ luck of seeing her again at a café that he frequented for lunch he knew if he didn't take the chance to ask her for a date, he'd be a fool._

_ The worst she could do was tell him "no" or not call him back when she read the note he wrote on the napkin and slipped it onto the table as he walked by the table to leave. _

_**Aimee's P.O.V. **_

_ From the very __second__ Aimee saw him, her heart pounded. She guessed that the red-haired man, with the most piercing blue eyes she had ever seen, was older than herself by maybe ten or so years, there was something about him that made her want to jump his bones right there in the café. For three weeks she had awoke soaking wet from this man named Horatio Caine in her dreams. Reading his note that he wanted to take her on a date put a smile on her face that didn't disappear._

_**Horatio's P.O.V.**_

_ Horatio's heart leapt._

_ He couldn't believe what he had just heard from his answering machine._

_ Aimee had called him back! She wanted to go out on a date with him. Horatio swore to himself that he would control himself on the date._

_ He was a gentleman after all, and was determined to stay that way._

_**Aimee's P.O.V.**_

_ It was after date #3, it was apparent __neither__ could control themselves. She threw the notion of being a "lady" and asked Horatio if he wanted to come inside. Both knowing what would occur._

_ Horatio accepted._

_**Horatio's P.O.V.**_

_ Normally so much in control, He threw the notion of being a "gentleman" and gave in to desire. Horatio was never a man to make love to a woman fast and hard then get up and leave. He had __no way of knowing Aimee hadn't ever experienced that._

_**Aimee's P.O.V.**_

_ After a burst of hot, fast passion The two slowly made love, for hours. The trust she already she already had in his this man stunned Aimee. She fell asleep with her head on his chest and her arm wrapped around him. She was pleasantly taken aback to wake up to a kiss on her brow at 4;30am. _

_ The man who she shared her bed with hours ago was still there, something else she had never experienced with any one else. To be awoken with a tender kiss was something new._

_ "You're still here," she said._

_ The shock apparent in her voice. _

_ "Of course," Horatio said softly, gently kissing her lips. "But," he said looking at his watch with a frown. "I have to go home and get ready for work. Can I call you? Tonight, maybe?"_

_ 'Fuck!' Aimee thought disappointed. But she knew Horatio had to leave._

_ "Sure." _

Looking back at these memories now, the couple found it hard to believe that they were where they were today. Aimee had wanted a family ever since she could remember. Life was never perfect but she never imagined how wonderful life would be as a wife and mother. She hadn't seen herself as a woman who would fall head over heels for an older man but setting eyes on Horatio Caine. As oxy-moron as the sentiment sounded, Horatio was the perfect man, perfect husband and father, even if no one could be considered "perfect."


	67. 67 Horatio Caine, Kid Wrangler

_**Horatio Caine: Kid Wrangler **_

Horatio was a man of many talents.

One of which included getting an infant fed and settled for his first sleep of the night then two little girls bathed and dressed for bed. No matter how tired he was from the day, he enjoyed the chatter of his daughters as they told him stories and what they did during the day. After the sounds and sights he heard in his day, it was a welcomed relief. Reading books like _Harold and the Purple Crayon_, a series the children loved was another dose of relaxation. He also knew his wife was getting a much needed and deserved break.

Being a stay-at-home mom was something his wife loved, Horatio knew, but it was also exhausting. He didn't know how Aimee managed to care for and entertain three children under five and run a house as well as she did. Maybe their house wasn't a "showcase home" but it was clean and tidy enough. Three children lived there, for god's sake. The term "lived in" fit description better. He knew he couldn't do all this _half_ as well as his wife. Keep the kids happy he could definitely do, but keep even semi-clean house?

Not so much.

The kids would must likely go through their entire wardrobe and every towel would have grown fuzz before anything saw the washing machine. Then most of it would likely be ruined because it wasn't sorted right.

His non-parent co-workers didn't understand how he could do all this with a smile after a long day. Caring for small children and listening to echoes of "daddy! Daddy!" was the cure for a headache and not the cause.


End file.
